On October 10, 2024, industry leaders, talent innovators, and developers gathered at The Plaza for the AI Skills & Tech Talent Summit in NYC. The event was an unforgettable deep dive into the future of AI skills, talent strategies, and how organizations can thrive in an era shaped by generative AI and cutting-edge technologies.
From thought-provoking keynotes to panel discussions, the summit provided attendees with actionable insights, a view into the future of AI skills, and new connections to help them build the AI-powered workforce of tomorrow.
The summit kicked off with a virtual guest like no other—Albert Einstein, reimagined through AI. In a playful nod to his return, he remarked on how much had changed since his time. He set the stage for an inspiring day, introducing Stela Lupushor as the host. As the Chief Reframer at Reframe.Work Inc. and an Adjunct Faculty at NYU, Stela is known for her forward-thinking approach to building inclusive and resilient workplaces. She welcomed the audience and guided them through a day filled with innovation and fresh perspectives on the future of AI in talent strategy.
Key Highlights from the Summit
- Keynote: The Impact of GenAI on Hiring and Upskilling Tech Talent by Vivek Ravisankar
Vivek’s keynote explored the transformative potential of blending human intelligence with AI, particularly in the tech workforce. He introduced HackerRank’s approach to helping developers and companies navigate this shift through a lifecycle of skill-building, engagement, and hiring solutions. Vivek noted that, unlike the human brain, AI requires extensive training data and computational power yet has low generalization—a stark contrast that creates an exciting opportunity for a “human plus AI” fusion.“AI is here to augment, not replace, human creativity and problem-solving,” Vivek emphasized. He illustrated the evolving role of developers, envisioning them as orchestrators who guide AI agents, review their work, and integrate AI-driven insights into software development. He also shared insights from HackerRank’s AI Skills Report, revealing that developers primarily use AI to learn new concepts and automate tedious tasks, making them “more productive and happier.”
As companies increasingly adopt AI tools, Vivek highlighted HackerRank’s mission to ensure responsible AI integration that empowers both employers and candidates. “By putting skills over pedigree,” he stated, “we are not just advancing technology—we are changing the world.”
- Launch of the AI Skills Report
The HackerRank team also launched the AI Skills Report 2024 on the day of the event and discussed various insights uncovered in the research. The AI Skills Report analyzed millions of data points from developers using HackerRank to seek jobs at some of the world’s largest companies. Those insights were combined with survey data from HackerRank’s community of over 24 million software developers.Vivek Ravisankar, co-founder and CEO of HackerRank, highlighted the report’s findings, “AI is revolutionizing every stage of the software development lifecycle, including the role of the developer and skills required to build modern software. While some fear disruption, HackerRank’s research reveals unprecedented optimism among the developer community. The future isn’t about humans or AI. It’s about humans and AI working together to build better software that positively impacts the outcomes for society.”
To know more about the AI Skills Report and learn how AI is challenging the pre-set notions of tech and developers, visit here.
- AI for Talent Leaders by Alla Pavlova, Riot Games
Alla Pavlova shared how she uses AI to transform hiring in data science, data engineering, and machine learning. By integrating AI tools, she’s cut up to 40 hours per week from her workload, freeing up time for strategic priorities. She highlighted how tools like GenAI streamline tasks, from creating outlines to summarizing content.
During her session, Alla emphasized AI’s role in boosting productivity and structure in recruitment. She urged companies to adopt AI tools to stay competitive and address concerns around data security. Her advice? Set aside time each week to explore new AI tools and stay ahead of the curve.
- AI for Tech Leaders by Tim Lee, Founder and Chief Learning Officer, CodePath
Tim Lee, Founder and Chief Learning Officer at CodePath, showcased how AI is transforming the role of developers, shifting their focus from traditional coding tasks to a more strategic orchestration of AI agents. He explained that as AI becomes proficient in handling repetitive tasks—such as writing test cases or debugging—developers are increasingly empowered to review, guide, and refine AI-driven outputs, making workflows more efficient and collaborative.Tim demonstrated practical applications of AI within coding environments, where developers can utilize AI to generate initial drafts of code, allowing them to provide feedback, iterate, and focus on more complex, creative aspects of software development. Emphasizing the evolving role of developers, he noted, “The developer’s job is shifting from writing code from scratch to becoming an orchestrator of AI capabilities.” This new dynamic, he highlighted, enables faster, higher-quality development while preserving the human ingenuity critical to innovative software solutions. - Panel discussion on Navigating the Future: AI’s Role in Talent Strategy
The panel brought together industry leaders Stela Lupushor, Keith Sonderling, Former Commissioner at US EEOC, Jada Green, Talent and Organization Strategy at Accenture, Devin Cox, US Head of Technical Sourcing at Bloomberg, and Chris Louie, Head of Talent Development at Thomson Reuters for a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving intersection of AI and talent strategy. The panelists explored how AI is redefining the way companies attract, assess, and retain talent, offering insights on the challenges and opportunities that come with AI integration in the workplace.
They highlighted the shift from traditional hiring practices to AI-driven strategies that emphasize data-backed decisions and greater efficiency in identifying top talent. The conversation delved into balancing innovation with ethical considerations, particularly around AI’s impact on fairness and transparency in hiring. The panelists encouraged organizations to embrace AI as a strategic partner, helping to future-proof their talent pipelines and adapt to a rapidly changing job market.
- HackerRank Experience Lab
Our VP of Product, Anand highlighted how HackerRank supported developers and organizations throughout the hiring and skill-building journey. Starting with products designed to prepare developers for job searches—such as resume-building tools and mock interviews—HackerRank created a developer-first experience, helping candidates effectively showcase their skills. For companies, the Engage product enabled effortless coding challenges and hackathons, allowing firms to engage the developer community, assess talent, and position themselves as tech-forward workplaces. HackerRank’s platform also included robust hiring solutions that ensured a fair, efficient, and integrity-driven process with advanced plagiarism detection. Once hired, employees could continue skill development through the Skill Up feature, which provided certifications, a skill directory, and ongoing learning opportunities, creating a complete lifecycle solution for tech talent and organizational growth.The event concluded with a lively networking session over drinks, offering attendees the perfect opportunity to reflect on the day’s insights, forge new connections, and unwind with their peers. The energy was high, and many left with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration for navigating the future of AI in their organizations.
