The magic of AI to empower people

AI will signif­i­cantly change the way HR works, enabling smarter decisions and promoting a more human-centric approach.

From virtual assis­tants that streamline admin­is­trative tasks to person­alized learning and devel­opment initia­tives, AI is already making waves in the HR space. Actually, a third of HR managers told us they use gener­ative AI (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT in their roles and 78% want to integrate AI more into HR tasks.

While adoption rates are still in their infancy, HR leaders are excited about the technology, with the majority expecting AI to do the trick Create more jobs, increase job satis­faction, and foster stronger relation­ships with leadership.

Our new eBook, Unlock the potential of AI in HRis a practical guide for HR leaders that uses tips and advice from industry experts to under­stand the benefits AI can provide now and in the future. It covers key consid­er­a­tions for the ethical use of AI in the workplace, the future impact of AI in HR on skills and jobs, and current use cases for the technology.

In this article we discuss:

• What we mean by AI in human resources
• Where technology is already making progress in HR
• Highlight the seven ways AI is benefiting HR leaders today

Smart, intuitive and efficient technology

When we talk about AI in HR, we are referring to a family of intel­ligent technologies and techniques that can help automate, streamline or improve many HR processes and functions. Intuitive technology with the ability to take the guesswork out of decision-making, easily interpret data, and highlight problems and oppor­tu­nities early.

Automation and AI are often combined together, and while there is an element of automation in AI technology, AI adds a whole other level of support.

Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Light­house Research & Advisory and author of Artificial intel­li­gence for HRputs it succinctly: “Automation is about repeating what we have already done. AI is about using what we have already done to predict possible future outcomes, such as matching candi­dates to open positions or even matching devel­opment oppor­tu­nities to the workforce.”

AI in HR today

Artificial intel­li­gence has made signif­icant advances in certain areas of human resources, partic­u­larly recruiting, training, perfor­mance management, and analytics.

“AI is finally using big data in a way we can handle,” says Perry Timms, founder and chief energy officer of PTHR. “Some great examples in HR include AI to help people access knowledge to create organi­za­tional wisdom in decision making based on prede­ter­mined parameters – such as skill gaps.”

AI’s automation capabil­ities are also invaluable in stream­lining tasks such as writing policies, job adver­tise­ments, and responding to appli­cants, saving time and effort.

“The days when we had to work from scratch are over. “GenAI recently helped us create over 400 job profiles, which was a core feature of our new global career model,” reports Claudia Sneddon, Global Talent Acqui­sition Director at Expleo Group

By lever­aging the predictive capabil­ities of AI, HR leaders can make data-driven decisions, antic­ipate future trends, and proac­tively address challenges in talent management, workforce planning, and employee engagement, ultimately increasing organi­za­tional success and compet­itive advantage.

However, the human factor remains crucial, as the long experience of HR managers remains very valuable in lever­aging the results of technology to make intel­ligent decisions.

“Savvy HR leaders use AI to make predic­tions and then use their own judgment, expertise and knowledge to make the decision.” – Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Light­house Research & Advisory

7 benefits of AIS HR leaders today

The landscape of AI tools and software in HR is evolving rapidly, with new appli­ca­tions and use cases constantly emerging.

When it comes to the technology itself, there are two main approaches: stand­alone AI software and AI-powered solutions. Stand­alone software focuses solely on AI-driven tasks such as talent acqui­sition and perfor­mance assessment and often requires integration. AI-powered solutions seamlessly integrate technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning into existing HR platforms, expanding the capabil­ities of those platforms.

Both approaches offer clear advan­tages. Read on for our roundup of seven ways AI is already being used in HR today and how it can benefit HR.

1. Automation of routine tasks
   • AI-powered tools and platforms make it possible to automate repet­itive and time-consuming tasks such as reviewing resumes, sourcing candi­dates, sched­uling inter­views, and even conducting initial candidate assess­ments.
   • To use: Frees HR to focus on more strategic initia­tives and tasks that require human judgment and creativity.
2. Improved candidate experience
   • AI-powered virtual assis­tants are increas­ingly being used in human resources to promptly respond to candidate inquiries, guide them through the appli­cation process, and provide person­alized commu­ni­ca­tions
   • To use: Improves the overall candidate experience by providing timely and relevant infor­mation.
3. Data-driven decision making
   • AI technologies enable HR leaders to collect and analyze large amounts of data from various sources, including employee feedback, perfor­mance metrics and engagement surveys.
   • To use: Enables HR to identify trends, predict future workforce needs, and make informed decisions regarding talent acqui­sition, retention, and devel­opment strategies.
4. Improved recruiting and talent management
   • AI algorithms can help identify top candi­dates by analyzing resumes, social media profiles, and online behavior patterns to match job require­ments and company culture. Additionally, AI-powered assessment tools can provide insights into candi­dates’ skills, compe­tencies, and cultural fit.
   • To use: Faster hiring times, lower recruiting costs and more effective hiring decisions.
5. Diversity and inclusion initia­tives
   • AI has the potential to mitigate bias in the hiring process by focusing solely on candi­dates’ quali­fi­ca­tions and skills rather than demographic factors.
   • To use: By elimi­nating uncon­scious bias, AI can help create more diverse and inclusive work environ­ments.
6. Analysis of skills gaps and learning solutions
   • AI can help HR conduct skills gap analyzes by analyzing employees’ current skills and identi­fying areas for devel­opment. Additionally, AI-powered learning platforms can deliver person­alized training content tailored to each employee’s needs, prefer­ences, and learning styles.
   • To use: Quickly identify skills gaps across the organi­zation and allocate resources accord­ingly.
7. Employee engagement and retention
   • AI tools can help HR leaders assess employee sentiment, identify factors that contribute to disen­gagement, and predict turnover risks.
   • To use: Improve employee retention and promote a more positive workplace culture.

Providing a more human experience

The magic of AI lies in its ability to under­stand, adapt and interact with human behavior and needs in ways that are consistent with them. In our eBook, we explore how AI can not only create a more human experience when inter­acting with technology, but can also help HR leaders work more humanely.

AI can person­alize experi­ences, under­stand emotions, and antic­ipate user needs through advanced algorithms and learning capabil­ities. This makes inter­ac­tions with HR technology – for both HR and employees – feel more intuitive and human.

While AI is not the panacea for every HR challenge, imple­menting it wisely, ethically and strate­gi­cally will enable HR to become less process-driven and more people-focused. The panacea that most folk physi­cians have been striving for for a long time.