CIO Leadership Live: PepsiCo's Karthik Sankaran on Scaling with Intention

Podcast: CIO Leadership Live
Host: Lucas Marion, Senior Writer, Computer World
Guest: Karthik Sankaran, VP of Technology for Global Sales Transformation, PepsiCo
Date: February 18, 2026
Event: CIO 100 Symposium and Awards, Scottsdale, Arizona

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep-dive conversation with Karthik Sankaran, PepsiCo’s VP of Technology for Global Sales Transformation, about how one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies is scaling its digital transformation efforts from North America to the globe. The discussion covers practical applications of AI, the role of experimentation in fostering innovation, the challenge of user adoption, and emerging trends in IoT and AI-assisted development.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. PepsiCo’s Digital Transformation Initiatives

[00:46 – 01:16]

• PepsiCo has undergone a major sales technology transformation in North America over the past 3-4 years.
• The current challenge: scaling these initiatives globally, which involves adapting for different technological, economic, and support environments around the world.
• Quote:
  "The challenge that I'm now tackling is how do we take these large transformation initiatives that we did in North America and then extend it to the globe." — Karthik Sankaran [00:53]

2. The Role of AI in Scaling and Development

[01:16 – 02:51]

• AI is central to PepsiCo’s strategy, especially in coding and software development (Microsoft Copilot among other tools).
• North America’s data-rich, high-support environment contrasts with other regions where self-service and cost efficiency are prioritized.
• AI is instrumental in reducing the cost and timeframe of critical tech adaptations, such as migrating from iOS to Android platforms for international markets.
• Quote:
  "With AI, we are finding that we are able to do it much faster and cheaper." — Karthik Sankaran [02:38]

3. Major Challenges in Global Digital Transformation

[03:01 – 04:09]

• Primary obstacles: cost efficiency and user adoption.
• AI is leveraged for change management—enabling support and onboarding with fewer resources.
• The evolution beyond web interfaces: rise of chat and agentic interfaces improves accessibility and supports adoption.
• Quote:
  "Now we have other options rather than just web... we have chat interfaces, we have agentic interfaces and other things that are coming into play." — Karthik Sankaran [03:55]

4. Fostering a Culture of Continuous Innovation

[04:09 – 05:09]

• The proliferation of AI coding tools has made experimentation cheaper and enables rapid prototyping and faster iteration—promoting a 'fail fast, learn fast' mindset.
• Quote:
  "Experimentation has become a lot cheaper. We are able to do a lot more experimentation. We are able to do quick experiments, fail fast, learn from IT, and then refine our solutions." — Karthik Sankaran [04:21]

5. AI-Assisted Coding: Impact on Productivity

[05:01 – 06:02]

• PepsiCo's IT teams regularly test multiple AI coding tools, resulting in substantially faster development cycles.
• Some project timelines have been reduced from 5-6 months to just a few weeks.
• Current average development time savings: 15-30%, with coding times sometimes halved.
• Quote:
  "Coding time alone is cut by at least half in many cases... it has been a tremendous boost [to] productivity." — Karthik Sankaran [05:48]

6. Bridging the Gap Between Business Goals and Technology

[06:02 – 06:47]

• User adoption and change management remain the biggest barriers.
• Adapting business processes to newer technologies can be a significant challenge.

7. Exciting Trends: IoT and Ambient Technologies

[07:02 – 07:58]

• Excitement about IT/OT (Information Technology/Operational Technology) convergence and expanding use of IoT in warehousing, shipping, and retail.
• PepsiCo is pioneering in ambient IoT (battery-less sensors), recently forming the Ambient IoT Alliance with other manufacturers.
• Quote:
  "Ambient IoT is where we are using battery less technologies for sensors and other things in the field. In fact, PepsiCo is leading in this." — Karthik Sankaran [07:18]

8. Personal Tech Favorites

[07:58 – 08:49]

• Sankaran’s favorite gadgets: ambient IoT devices (battery-less beacons, sensors), and AI coding tools.
• These innovations are making tech more accessible and fun, even for business users and marketers.

9. Democratization of Application Development

[08:40 – 09:30]

• AI coding tools empower not just IT professionals but also business users to prototype and experiment with applications, reducing reliance on formal IT teams for early-stage concepts.
• Quote:
  "Now they're actually able to produce things which are prototypes, real working prototypes. Because a lot of AI tools now allow you to create full working applications..." — Karthik Sankaran [08:52]

Memorable Quotes

• On Scaling AI:
  "With AI, we are finding that we are able to do it much faster and cheaper." — Karthik Sankaran [02:38]

• On Innovation Culture:
  "Experimentation has become a lot cheaper... we are able to do quick experiments, fail fast, learn from IT, and then refine our solutions." — Karthik Sankaran [04:21]

• On Productivity Gains:
  "Coding time alone is cut by at least half in many cases... it has been a tremendous boost [to] productivity." — Karthik Sankaran [05:48]

• On Ambient IoT:
  "Ambient IoT is where we are using battery less technologies for sensors and other things in the field. In fact, PepsiCo is leading in this." — Karthik Sankaran [07:18]

• On AI Empowering Business Users:
  "Now they're actually able to produce things which are prototypes, real working prototypes... These tools are able to give you much faster leap in terms of what you can visualize, think, experiment on your own..." — Karthik Sankaran [08:52]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• [00:46] – Digital transformation overview at PepsiCo
• [01:16] – Use of AI from development to business applications
• [02:38] – Example: AI-assisted adaptation from iOS to Android globally
• [04:21] – Innovation culture and experimentation
• [05:48] – Productivity gains from AI-assisted coding
• [07:18] – Introduction to Ambient IoT and its applications
• [08:52] – Democratization of application prototyping via AI tools

Episode Takeaways

• AI and IoT are foundational to scaling digital transformation globally at PepsiCo.
• Experimentation and rapid prototyping are encouraged and enabled by AI tools.
• Change management and user adoption remain primary challenges, with new interfaces and AI assistance easing transitions.
• Emerging technologies like ambient IoT are strategic innovation areas, with PepsiCo at the forefront.
• AI development tools are democratizing innovation, empowering not just IT, but business functions to build and iterate on digital solutions quickly.

This episode offers an insider's view into how a global enterprise leverages cutting-edge technologies and a culture of experimentation to drive digital transformation at scale, with practical lessons for IT leaders across industries.