Talisha Padgett believes AI isn’t just about technology—it’s about transforming mindsets, workflows, and relationships to ensure everyone, everywhere, can participate in the AI-powered future.
For Talisha Padgett, General Manager of Marketing Technology and AI at Microsoft, the journey of AI transformation is not a sprint—it’s an evolution that starts with people. With over a year of hands-on experimentation in AI for Marketing, Talisha recognized a critical gap: while the technology existed, true transformation requires enabling every marketer to engage with AI confidently, responsibly, and daily.
That realization led to the creation of the Marketing GenAI Center of Excellence (COE)—a strategic hub designed not just to build AI solutions, but to democratize their access across Microsoft’s global Marketing teams. “AI transformation takes time as you change mindsets, prove new possibilities, and form new working relationships,” Talisha shares. “My goal is to empower marketers with the power of AI and technology, through easy-to-use and understand solutions.”
The COE is more than a tech initiative—it’s a cultural shift. By aligning Marketing, Engineering, Responsible AI (RAI), and senior leadership, Talisha’s team ensures AI solutions are not only technically sound but ethically grounded, business-relevant, and accessible to all. Her leadership has turned the COE into an engine of sustained innovation, enabling marketers at all levels to become daily AI practitioners, not just observers.
Talisha’s approach centers on collaboration, responsible AI, and upskilling—engaging cross-functional teams to ensure diverse perspectives shape AI solutions, partnering closely with Microsoft’s Responsible AI team to build models on fair, unbiased data that promote equitable outcomes, and driving AI literacy across all levels of marketing to empower every marketer to confidently adopt and innovate with AI as part of their daily workflows.
For Talisha, the mission is clear: AI should not be a privilege of a few but a tool that transforms work, fuels innovation, and opens doors for everyone. As the Marketing GenAI COE scales into FY26 and beyond, her leadership ensures Microsoft’s AI journey is not only inclusive and responsible but a model for the industry.
Talisha’s story is a testament to the power of collaboration, empathy, and intentional leadership in driving not just AI adoption but an AI revolution that leaves no one behind.
About #empowHER50 campaign
This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50
To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
