Docusign's CEO on the dangers of trusting AI to read, and write, your contracts

Decoder with Nilay Patel

Vox Media Podcast Network

Technology, Business

4.2 • 3.4K Ratings

🗓️ 2 February 2026

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today, I’m talking with Allan Thygesen, who is the CEO of Docusign. You know Docusign, it’s the platform that lets you sign stuff online. It turns out 7,000 people work there, which is one of those facts floating around that’s always felt like perfect Decoder bait. What are all those people doing? And what kind of product roadmap does a company like Docusign even need? Alan has only been CEO of Docusign for three years, so he has some interesting perspective on where the company was, the changes he wanted to make, and where he thinks this is all going. Hint: it involves AI. Read the full transcript on The Verge. Links: Docusign's AI will help you understand what you're signing | Fast Company Docusign on ‘transformational journey,’ CEO Says | Bloomberg How Docusign Is modernizing the age-old business contract | Barron’s Docusign unveils next-gen eSignature with AI | Docusign Docusign brings its contract AI to ChatGPT | Docusign Interview with Docusign CEO Allan Thygesen | Motley Fool (Podcast) Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder! Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:40.1	Running a business is hard enough, so why make it harder with a dozen different apps that
0:45.0	don't talk to each other?
0:46.7	Introducing Odu, it's the only business software you'll ever need.
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1:19.0	Do you ever look back on something you posted on the internet and think? Well, that was cringe.
1:24.6	Yeah, I mean, I look back at that stuff and I'm just like, it's so emblematic of the era.
1:30.2	And it's also just like, why did I think this would age well, like in the slightest?
1:35.3	This week, Unexplained It to Me from Vox.
1:37.7	What to do with your online regret?
1:39.9	New episodes on Sundays wherever you get your podcasts.
1:54.3	Yeah. New episodes on Sundays wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, and welcome to Decoder.
1:55.6	I'm Neil I Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge, and Decoder is my show about big ideas
1:59.1	and other problems.
	...

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