HR execs and leaders joined AI experts and technologists this week to talk about all things AI in San Francisco at SHRM’s second AI+HI project convening.
The AI + HI project launched in 2024 after ChatGPT helped the concept of generative AI earn household name recognition, and businesses began to grapple with the intersection of artificial intelligence and humans in the workplace.
SHRM leaders were eager to design the next edition of the program for both those without much AI knowledge and strategy experience and those who are pros, with an opportunity to rub shoulders and talk about best practices and how to level up AI inside the people function.
“Let's talk about AI+HI. What does that mean? What is it that's happening? What new tech is out there, and where do I go to get my implementation strategies?” asked SHRM’s chief data and analytics officer Alex Alonso. “Let's also bring it down to a practical level that says, here's how it's impacting workplaces today and (more than just workplaces) HR.”
Alonso noted that much has changed in the workplace when it comes to AI deployment since the inaugural conference. He added, HR teams aren’t simply experimenting with ChatGPT or developing new workflows that the technology has enabled. Instead, many HR pros are leading the AI transformation at work, and in this early stage, AI deployment strategy and dealing with the realities in its wake are key priorities.
“When we were looking at this a year ago, one of the things that stood out was [that] HR was really at the same level as the average workforce member in terms of the use of AI,” he said. “Today we see that the HR professional actually outpaces use of AI over the rest of the workforce.”
Alonso told HR Brew ahead of the event that HR teams are focused right now on two major areas of work when it comes to AI: change management and renewing a skills strategy to meet the moment.
Change management. In comes the old chestnut of change management, a systematic approach to transition businesses into a world where countless tasks and processes can be augmented or adapted to leverage a new AI technology. Change management is important to consider as AI adoption grows.
Quick-to-read HR news & insights
From recruiting and retention to company culture and the latest in HR tech, HR Brew delivers up-to-date industry news and tips to help HR pros stay nimble in today’s fast-changing business environment.
“It makes me want to actually bang my head against the wall, because I’ve heard it for every change initiative imaginable,” Alonso said.
But how work is done is being dramatically overhauled, and companies are grappling with new standards to govern the human and AI-enabled workplace. There’s a need for organizations to map out and drive this transformation, assess if those decisions are best, and also ensure the company’s stakeholders are all on board, according to Alonso.
“We know that we’re kind of pairing off AI agentry with human agency, meaning I’m unlocking the ability to do things that I wasn’t doing before…How are you assessing whether or not you’re getting the bang for your buck? How are you assessing whether or not your organization is actually driving all that learning down as much as they can? And more importantly, how are you making sure that the organization is actually bought into or sees the value of this kind of marriage between AI and HI.”
Skilling strategy. The other prominent HR focus area is on skills. Alonso told HR Brew that right now there’s a mismatch between the half-life of skills and the time it takes humans to learn new ones, contributing to the ongoing skills gap and talent shortage facing many companies.
SHRM execs are focused on showcasing how companies can use AI to both help cover the skills gaps inside their organizations with technology, and also use the technology to help identify the newest hot skill on the market: the ability to skill and reskill quickly and efficiently.
“There’s a way to leverage AI and enablement from AI that allows people to really close that [skills] gap,” Alonso said. “Teaching organizations to actually leverage AI, and that partnership with human intelligence, to…mitigate some of the skills shortages that we’ve dealt with for years, but also accelerate our hunt for talent that is really good at rapid skill development.”