In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence poses an intriguing question: “Are we working for AI, or is AI working for us?” Maxine Carrington, Chief People Officer at Northwell Health, posed this question during a recent dinner gathering of HR and people executives in New York City. The emphasis, she suggested, should be on leveraging these tools as facilitators to reach our objectives rather than merely pursuing the latest technology.
Her perspective resonated with attendees at the Business Insider-hosted event, “Futureproofing Your Workforce in the Age of AI,” presented by Indeed, which engaged in a 90-minute discussion aimed at navigating the complexities of AI in the workplace.
“I believe this is more about organizational transformation than technological advancement,” commented Gareth Lewis of Lewis People & Culture Advisory. “The current dialogue heavily leans toward tools and efficiencies, often sidelining the necessity to rethink our job roles entirely.”
Agnes Garaba, Chief People Officer at UiPath, is at the forefront of this role redesign, although the path is fraught with challenges. “We asked every functional leader to envision what the future might hold. If I could start fresh with my HR team, what would that look like? This exercise often reveals that our imagination is the biggest hurdle.”
The executives gathered shared a keen awareness of the ongoing tension between committing to comprehensive transformation and merely integrating AI tools. The conversation, however, traversed various themes. Here are some key takeaways.
How to Help Employees Become AI “Power Users”
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Katie Burke, COO, Harvey: “Ask yourself whether your organization is merely experimenting with AI or actively driving impactful transformation. Patterns across industries indicate what differentiates these approaches—specifically, the involvement of senior leaders in these initiatives.”
She emphasized that true transformation requires a combination of encouragement and incentives rather than just mandates. “People perform best when they aren’t driven by fear.”
Make Partners Prove the Value of AI Tools They’re Providing
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Roz Harris, VP, Talent, Zillow: “It’s crucial to hold our product partners accountable for justifying their value. Your leaders want to know what will significantly improve our teams and advance the business. Many of us won’t be creating these solutions ourselves; we rely on our partners to deliver.”
Company-wide Hackathons Allow Employees to Shine
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Maggie Hulce, Chief Revenue Officer, Indeed: “We host monthly contests open to all employees, inviting them to submit ideas for AI applications. The sales teams have taken the lead in participation, challenging preconceived notions that their role is limited to sales alone and revealing diverse capabilities.”
HR Leaders Play a Key Role in Pushing Companies to Adopt AI
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Dickie Steele, Partner, McKinsey & Company: “It’s essential to cultivate a culture that pursues significant productivity gains. The HR sector should lead the way in implementing AI agents, pressing for a compelling value creation strategy rather than settling for minor efficiency improvements.”
Beware the Hype Around AI Dramatically Improving Your Bottom Line
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Liz Dente, Chief People Officer, Priceline: “While it’s tempting to seek extraordinary returns on investment, I must counter that perspective. We aim for steady, incremental progress rather than unrealistic expectations for massive growth. The marketplace often overstates the potential for dramatic returns, which isn’t necessarily true.”
