L’Oréal AVP On Blurring The Lines Between Business And IT To Solve The 'AI Ambition Gap'

As AI implementation in the enterprise accelerates to a sprint, the promise of speed is clashing with the realities of corporate inertia. The real competitive threat across industries isn’t lagging behind on models; it's the drag of legacy operational debt in the departments tasked with harnessing them. While a recently-released report out of MIT suggested most enterprise AI projects fail to take hold, it's important to note that not all implementation is created equal. Success lies within cultural shifts led by companies that legacy systems often must be re-built foundationally from both a cultural and technical perspective to thrive in an increasingly AI-native world.

We spoke with Sangita Tripathi, the AVP and Head of Integration for the Americas at L'Oréal. Drawing on over two decades of experience leading complex technology transformations at global enterprises like Healthfirst, Hess, and ADP, Sangita built her career on the principle that organizations are stronger when they are integrated. She argued that the only way to bridge the gap between AI's potential and today's operational reality is to fundamentally dismantle the organizational silos that have defined corporate structure for decades.

• Blurring the ambition gap: Sangita said the only solution to address the widening ambition gap between business leaders and IT is to erase the old lines that have kept things siloed for so long. "I think it's time that we blur the lines between business and IT. The distinction we have had in the past revolved around rigid lines. But now when executive stakeholders on the business side see opportunity, it's important that they have a partner from IT alongside them."

• Potential versus reality: Core to AI adoption and the acceleration paradox is the fundamental disconnect in perception. As Sangita described, "While one side sees limitless potential, the other is grounded in the complex realities of execution. This creates a natural and dangerous friction. The business side thinks, 'I want this capability, and with AI's speed, I should be able to get it done overnight.' But when it comes to technology teams, they are very clear on their thought process, and rightfully so: there is governance needed, there is data privacy needed, security needed. This is where I see the maximum struggle."

Sangita's solution is not theoretical, but a proven model she lives every day. Further, this philosophy and concept of "One Team" has become so central that the company has effectively rebranded around it, embedding collaboration as the foundation for responsible acceleration. Now IT and Business are able to co-create from the start, illuminating new roadblocks and opportunities that help ground the projects against more realistic timelines and expected business outcomes.

• The beauty tech model: "We are a Beauty Tech company at heart, and the reason we feel comfortable using the 'Tech' terminology is because we see the commerce and IT sides as one team powered by technology across every facet of the business," she stated. "And that needs to be the reality for all enterprises, where they blur lines and take initiatives forward together."