Featuring:

Betsy Summers, Principal Analyst

Show Notes:

Just about every function in the enterprise has been impacted by AI. But the human resources function is in a unique spot. While there’s significant potential for AI and generative AI specifically to streamline the work of HR (at a time when they can use some help), a flood of AI-generated resumes and cover letters for open roles are making their jobs more challenging. Layer onto that the responsibility for ensuring workers have the resources they need to adapt to an AI-enabled workplace, and you can see why the word “paradox” is used to describe HR’s relationship with AI today.

In this episode, Principal Analyst Betsy Summers joins the podcast to discuss these various trends and help HR leaders make some sense of them. The episode starts with Summers recognizing that HR may not be the first organization people think of when discussing the use of emerging technologies, but pointing out that there is significant opportunity for HR teams to optimize workforce productivity and enhance employee experience through AI. “They need a lot of help when it comes to people analytics, enabling career pathing, skills intelligence, and automating the recruitment and employee experience processes,” she says. “They are a prime candidate for a lot of these AI use cases.”

However, Summers points out that some of these use cases are being delayed because HR teams are simply not ready for them. Forrester data shows only a small percentage of HR leaders feel confident in their team’s abilities around AI. HR workers need upskilling and training to be able to take advantage of AI. That means HR leaders must be educated and prioritize investment in AI and automation skills, says Summers, and seek out opportunities for learning from experts in the field.

In addition, there is a “double duty” aspect to HR’s relationship with AI. While HR employees need to figure out how to use AI to streamline their own work, a broader AI strategy across an enterprise requires HR’s support. “This is absolutely an HR conversation because horizontally we think about all of these use cases across the entire employee population and that’s going to take upskilling and re-skilling,” she says. “That’s going to take enablement, that’s going to take different policies and procedures and governance. These are HR conversations. They have to be stewards of change.”

The episode closes with a look back at two 2024 predictions Forrester made that said at least one well-known company would hire a candidate who doesn’t actually exist, and at least one well-known company would hire a candidate for a job that doesn’t actually exist. Did they come true? Stick around to find out.