3308: Freshworks CIO Ashwin Ballal on Making AI Deliver Real Value

Earlier this year, I spoke with Dennis Woodside, CEO of Freshworks, about why speed and ROI matter more than ever in AI adoption. Today, we continue that conversation—this time from the IT frontline.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ashwin Ballal, CIO of Freshworks and a 30-year tech industry veteran with a track record of driving transformation across global enterprises. From his days leading intelligence and data strategy at KLA to his role as CIO at Medallia, Ashwin knows what it takes to modernize without overcomplicating.

We explore:

• The real impact AI is having inside IT teams and where the hype still outweighs reality

• Why simplifying IT environments is becoming a strategic priority for CIOs

• How AI is being used to augment, not replace, human capability

• The pressure to deliver measurable outcomes with fewer resources—and what leaders are doing about it

Ashwin also shares a candid view on upskilling, internal adoption, and how CIOs can keep innovation moving forward while managing complexity and cost.

This conversation is released in time for Freshworks’ ‘Refresh’ event and ties into broader industry trends around operational efficiency, human-centered AI, and IT’s changing role in business strategy.

If you're a CIO, tech leader, or just trying to cut through the noise around AI in the enterprise, this one’s worth your time.