EP12:Leading with Humanity in the Age of AI — with Patricia Frost, EVP and Chief People and Places Officer at Seagate Technology

As organizations everywhere race to adopt AI, what does it take to lead with humanity at the center? In this episode of Now to Next, Jason Averbook sits down with Patricia Frost, Chief People and Places Officer at Seagate Technology, to discuss how leaders can build trust, courage, and connection in an era defined by technology. Drawing from her 32-year career in the U.S. Army and her leadership of Seagate’s 30,000+ global employees, Patricia shares her lessons on leading with empathy through uncertainty — and how Seagate is helping every employee embrace the power of AI, without losing the human touch.

Highlights:

• Why leadership in the AI era starts with empathy and purpose
• How Seagate is preparing its workforce for a future powered by AI
• Lessons from the U.S. Army on resilience, adaptability, and trust
• Why culture, not code, defines successful transformation
• How to ensure no one is left behind in digital change

Guest:

Patricia Frost is the Executive Vice President and Chief People and Places Officer at Seagate Technology, where she leads people, culture, and workplace strategies for more than 30,000 employees worldwide.

A retired U.S. Army Major General, Patricia has spent over three decades leading through complexity and innovation — from national defense to global technology. Before joining Seagate, she served in senior leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Defense, specializing in cybersecurity and electronic warfare.

Today, she helps organizations cultivate cultures of belonging, curiosity, and courage in the face of rapid AI transformation.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-frost-508068156/

(0:00) Introduction (0:18) Patricia's Las Vegas marathon and background (1:47) Transition from military to HR in a startup (2:54) Seagate's operations, workforce, and AI implementation (5:55) Democratizing tools and redefining roles with AI at Seagate (8:31) Middle management's role in change and collaboration with CIO (10:28) Employee experience and HR's evolving responsibilities (14:28) Supporting managers and making a business case for AI (18:37) Cultural differences and skills for the future workforce (21:08) The urgency of AI adoption and change management (24:30) Regional collaboration and AI's role in onboarding (30:40) Upskilling and leveraging internal talent (34:20) Addressing AI concerns and knowledge transfer challenges (37:20) Closing remarks