Video: Future Forward HR: How HR Leaders Can Elevate Their AI Strategy

The role of HR is no longer solely about managing workforce operations. HR insights and expertise are now crucial in shaping and executing an organization’s AI strategy within the workplace. But questions arise: How much do HR leaders need to know about AI, and why should they be regarded as key players in AI-related decisions?

In this episode of Future Forward HR, a Workday video and podcast series that explores insights shaping HR’s future, Workday leaders discuss what HR needs to know to get an organization’s AI roadmap to the next level. 

“There’s a golden moment here for HR leaders, for CHROs, both in the role that they can play in governance of AI, but also in showing unprecedented and new ways of collaborating across domains,” says Athena Karp, general manager of HiredScore, Workday.

Below are a few highlights from the episode, edited for clarity. Catch the entire conversation by watching the video or listening to the audio on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Be sure to follow us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. You can find our entire podcast catalog here.

Neil Jensen, vice president of global product vision and strategy at Workday, on what HR leaders need to do to effectively convey the implications of AI in the workplace:

• “They have to have a firm understanding of what AI is doing. What sources of data is it looking at? What value is it creating? And can they say with conviction that they see the value there, and they see the benefits for the workforce? If they truly are conveying that in town halls and communications and FAQs, I see the workforce buying in very clearly. And without that confidence and that conviction that they believe in it, it’s all out the window. It’s just another technology for technology’s sake.” 

Kelly Trindel, chief responsible AI officer at Workday, on the implications and pitfalls of not having a responsible AI program in place:

• “I think of it as a two-sided risk. On the one side, I think sometimes organizations can be slower to uptake technology that would benefit them because they’re concerned about the unintended consequences, and they don’t know how to maneuver those concerns. So a responsible AI program or experts or a dedicated team can help navigate that. On the other side, sometimes when organizations don’t have that expertise, sometimes they move quite fast and don’t think about the potential risks that could arise. And so having that responsible AI function helps balance those two and just gives folks guardrails and safeguards to consider, so they can move forward. And it’s those guardrails that help keep folks on the right track.”