The Challenge of Hiring in the AI Era

Written by Curt Doty and Pattie Kettle

Having built numerous creative and development teams across multiple agencies and recruited C-Suites for startups, there is a new revolution in hiring. In the swiftly evolving landscape of the modern workplace, Human Resources (HR) departments find themselves at the pivotal core of the AI revolution. This transformative era is not just about adopting new technologies but also about reimagining the role of HR as a strategic partner in guiding organizations through the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.

The AI revolution brings with it a unique set of challenges, particularly in hiring. The demand for talent with expertise in AI, machine learning, and data analytics far outstrips supply, leading to a competitive job market where attracting and retaining the right talent becomes a strategic imperative. HR departments are tasked with not just sourcing candidates with the right technical skills but also those who demonstrate adaptability, creativity, and the ability to learn continuously in a fast-changing environment. This requires HR to innovate in their recruitment strategies, leveraging AI tools for talent acquisition while ensuring a human-centric approach that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Big Hesitation

A recent study by CNBC pointed out, “As many as 77% of the respondents cited regulation, compliance, and data privacy as key barriers to rapid employment of generative AI — a leading concern for generative AI ecosystem since the technology burst into prominence at the end of 2022 following the release of Open AI's popular ChatGPT.”

CNBC also noted, “The survey found that while about 75% of respondents experimented with generative AI in 2023, only 9% said they had adopted the technology widely. Most early adopters deployed generative AI in limited business areas, but have plans to greatly expand its use this year.

Building an AI-Ready Company

An AI-ready company is one that not only invests in technology but also cultivates a culture of innovation and continuous learning. HR departments play a critical role in this transformation. They are responsible for designing organizational structures that are flexible and conducive to cross-functional collaboration, essential for AI integration. Furthermore, HR must lead in developing policies and practices that promote ethical AI use, ensuring that AI technologies are implemented responsibly and transparently, aligning with the company's values and societal norms.

Upskilling the Existing Workforce

As AI technologies automate routine tasks, there's a growing need to upskill the existing workforce to take on more complex, value-added roles. HR departments are at the forefront of this endeavor, identifying skill gaps and designing learning and development programs that are aligned with the company's strategic goals. By fostering a culture of lifelong learning, HR can help employees transition to AI-enhanced roles, ensuring that the workforce remains competitive and relevant. This approach emphasizes less on layoffs and more on upskilling, recognizing the value of human capital in driving innovation and sustainable growth.

HR as the Voice for building an AI Operation

HR teams can take a balanced and sustainable approach to AI integration in a way that is inclusive, equitable, and human-centered by following these key principles:

1. Ethical AI Governance: Establish clear policies, guidelines, and frameworks for the responsible and ethical use of AI in HR processes. This should involve diverse stakeholders, including employees, legal experts, and ethicists, to ensure AI systems are aligned with organizational values, respect human rights, and mitigate risks such as bias and privacy violations.

2. Transparency and Explainability: Ensure that AI systems used in HR processes are transparent and explainable, allowing for human oversight, interpretation, and accountability. Employees should understand how AI is being used and how decisions are made, fostering trust and acceptance.

3. Human-AI Collaboration: Adopt a human-centered approach where AI augments and supports human decision-making rather than fully automating processes. This preserves the human element in sensitive HR areas like performance evaluations, promotions, and terminations, while leveraging AI for efficiency and consistency.

4. Continuous Training and Upskilling: Invest in training and upskilling programs to help HR professionals and employees understand AI capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations. This fosters a culture of responsible AI adoption and enables effective human-AI collaboration.

5. Inclusive Data and Algorithm Design: Ensure that AI systems are trained on diverse and representative data sets, and that algorithms are designed to be fair, inclusive, and free from harmful biases. Regularly audit and test AI systems for potential discriminatory outcomes.

6. Privacy and Data Protection: Implement robust data governance practices, ensuring that employee data used for AI systems is securely stored, anonymized, and used only for legitimate and consented purposes, in compliance with relevant privacy regulations.

7. Employee Engagement and Feedback: Involve employees at all levels in the AI adoption process, soliciting feedback, addressing concerns, and fostering a culture of co-creation and shared responsibility for AI ethics and outcomes.

8. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement: Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance, fairness, and impacts of AI systems in HR processes, making adjustments or revisions as needed to ensure they remain aligned with organizational values and legal/ethical standards.

By following these principles, HR teams can strike a balance between the potential benefits of AI and the need to prioritize human values, equity, and ethics, fostering a sustainable and inclusive approach to AI integration in the workplace.

Pattie Kettle adds, “When AI is used ethically, in a way that promotes inclusivity and sustainable practices, it can be an amazing tool for the HR team. My concern is that HR teams will be too ham-strung by legal concerns and implications to really embrace AI technology and help their teams use it in the robust time-saving ways we know it can work.”

AI Ethics in Action: The Biometric Data Blindspot

As AI and biometric data become increasingly integrated into the workplace, HR professionals must navigate the ethical minefield of this new frontier. The handling of sensitive personal identifiers—fingerprints, facial scans, and voice patterns—sits at a complex crossroads of legal obligations and personal privacy agreements, demanding dedicated attention and decisive action from HR.

Jennifer Stivers, an AI Ethicist continues, “Transparency is paramount. Organizations must thoroughly brief employees on how their data is collected and used, ensuring explicit consent is obtained. Adherence to privacy laws such as GDPR, CCPA, and BIPA is non-negotiable, but the real work lies in building a culture that transcends compliance. HR must create solid data governance frameworks, routinely audit privacy practices, and provide comprehensive data privacy training to employees to guarantee the responsible use of AI and biometric data.”

As guardians of ethical standards and employee well-being, HR professionals must actively engage with the nuances of biometric data—an area often overlooked. By doing so, they can leverage AI's strengths while maintaining respect for each employee's personal rights. The imperative is clear: HR must proactively address the oversight of biometric data, steering this complex journey with unwavering dedication to ethical principles and the safeguarding of employee privacy.

AI is now ubiquitous in our software we use daily and the early warnings of Adopt or Perish, even by me, is less relevant because AI is here to stay. HR departments are not just navigating the challenges of the AI revolution; they should be leading the charge in transforming organizations to be more adaptive, innovative, and resilient. By focusing on strategic hiring, building an AI-ready culture, upskilling the workforce, and advocating for sustainable and ethical AI practices, HR is redefining its role and proving to be indispensable in this age of AI. As companies continue to explore the vast potentials of AI in efficiencies and efficacies, the role of HR in guiding this journey will be more critical than ever, marking the beginning of a new era in human resource management.

RealmIQ has developed a series of bespoke workshops that can help in this change management for companies and organizations. To learn click here.

About the Author

Curt Doty specializes in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and UXD. He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Murf.ai, and DALL-E. His legacy of entertainment branding: Electronic Arts, EA Sports, ProSieben, SAT.1, WBTV Latin America, Discovery Health, ABC, CBS, A&E, StarTV, Fox, Kabel 1, TV Guide Channel, and Prevue Channel.

He is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Mobile Growth Association, Mobile Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, Santa Fe Business Incubator, EntrepeneursRx and AI Impact. He is now represented by Ovationz. His most recent consultancy RealmIQ helps companies manage the AI Revolution.

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