We engaged with an audience of over 3,300 HR professionals through our groundbreaking AI for HR webinar series, focusing on the transformative power of AI. Throughout these sessions, our audience participated in a series of anonymous polls, allowing us to gauge the perceptions, experiences, and expectations of HR professionals regarding AI implementation both within HR and across the organisation.
The responses we received revealed a wide array of opinions and insights about the current state and future potential of AI in the workplace.
In this article, we will delve into our poll findings, highlighting the key trends, revelations, and implications for organisations looking to harness the power of AI. Whether you are an HR professional, a business leader, or simply interested in the evolving landscape of AI, these results offer valuable perspectives and actionable insights.
In this blog
60% of HR professionals state that their organisations are looking to adopt AI in their processes
65% think AI will affect their industry
35% would like to investigate their current HR vendors’ offering
53% are looking to layer AI tools over their existing HR system
17% are looking to develop in-house AI tools with their IT team
60% of HR professionals state that their organisations are looking to adopt AI in their processes
Most HR professionals outlined that their organisations are actively seeking to integrate AI into their processes. But, where should they begin? By considering how much time they can save.
To understand and measure AI’s impact across the organisation, HR professionals can use a “Productivity Index” – a simple way to track time saved and efficiency gained. In other words, they can gauge the true value of AI-driven efficiency by assessing how much faster tasks are completed – whether it’s a 5%, 10%, or 20% improvement.
Equally important is knowing which AI tools will deliver results. To guide that decision, we’ve rounded up 10 critical questions every HR leader should ask before selecting the AI tool for their business. Click here to learn more.
65% think AI will affect their industry
During our ‘AI for Business’ webinar, we explored the groundbreaking research presented in the report “GPT for GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models,” conducted by OpenAI, OpenResearch, and the University of Pennsylvania.
This comprehensive study thoroughly examines how AI is poised to revolutionise numerous industries. The findings underscore AI’s potential to significantly transform sectors such as finance, insurance, electronics, retail, healthcare, and publishing, among many others.
Impact on white collar industries
One of the most compelling insights from the poll and the research paper is the profound impact AI is expected to have on white collar industries.
These sectors will likely undergo substantial changes, as AI technologies become increasingly embedded in business operations – redefining task execution, streamlining processes, and enhancing overall productivity.
This technological shift signifies a new era in the professional landscape, where AI-driven efficiencies and innovations will become a cornerstone of business strategy.
35% would like to investigate their current HR vendors’ offering
Without a doubt, the best way to integrate AI into your HR processes is to first investigate your current HR vendor’s offering. Your HR system already comes with data security controls in place, in the form of authentication (are you who you say you are?) and authorisation (what information are you allowed to see?). Ensuring appropriate security in your AI deployment is a key risk to be managed, and critical to implementing AI safely in your organisation. But, not all HR vendors have been quick to ride the AI wave, so there’s a few key things to understand first:
Understand your HR vendor’s AI approach
When evaluating your current HR vendor’s AI offerings, it is essential to understand their specific approach to artificial intelligence. It’s important to remember that AI is an umbrella term encompassing many technologies, from simple algorithms to advanced machine learning and deep learning systems. Given that AI is often used as a marketing buzzword, it’s crucial to scrutinise these claims carefully.
Ask the important questions
Ask your vendor detailed questions about their AI capabilities to ensure you get a genuine and effective AI solution. Determine whether their technology involves machine learning, deep learning, or other AI methodologies, and enquire about the specific use cases their AI supports. Have they adopted the latest transformer architecture models within their AI tools, and most importantly, how is their AI solution secured? Understanding these aspects will help assess whether their AI offering aligns with the wider organisation’s needs and goals.
Other questions to consider:
- How does the AI authenticate against static (e.g. policies, documents) and dynamic (e.g. Personally Identifiable Information in the HRIS) data?
- Have they bolted on a third party AI tool or is it their own?
- Where and how is your data being stored?
- If your HR provider has grown through acquisition, how will the AI tool work across the multiple systems? e.g. Will there be a time lag?
Future-proof your operations
Lastly, you need to ensure that your vendor is proficient with the latest AI tools and techniques. This proficiency is key to future-proofing your operations and ensuring that your organisation can adapt to ongoing advancements in AI technology. By doing so, you can confidently integrate AI into your HR processes, knowing you are leveraging the most current and effective tools available.
53% are looking to layer AI tools over their existing HR system
There are two options:
- 1. Purchase ‘best of breed’ solutions, which are AI tools produced to undertake specific use cases (checking the authorisation and authentication within these is key). However, purchasing multiple AI tools means you’re sharing your data in multiple places (potentially all with different associated security policies), and you could end up with a patchwork of AI solutions, and potential security holes.
- 2. Purchase an AI tool that can layer over your whole HR system – it may be that your current vendor does not provide the AI functionality you require and you’re currently in contract for a number of years. So you may need to consider a layered solution that works over the top of a data lake or your data warehouse.
For those looking to address specific use cases within their HR processes, proprietary AI tools can be a highly effective option. However, the sheer variety of tools available, and the rapidly evolving market can be overwhelming, so let’s break this down.
Safeguarding personal information
When implementing specialised AI tools, one key consideration is how your data is classified and managed. Ensuring that users have appropriate authentication and authorisation to access data is crucial, especially when dealing with personally identifiable information (PII), Intellectual Property (IP), and other confidential company information.
It’s important to note that some AI tools (e.g. free versions of ChatGPT) may use your data to train their models. This means that any information inputted into the system could potentially be accessed by other users, raising significant privacy and security concerns.
For instance, employees might inadvertently gain access to sensitive information, such as colleagues’ salaries, private business policies, and other confidential details.
How to avoid data misuse
Numerous cautionary tales of businesses encountering issues due to improper use of AI tools exist. Ensuring robust data governance and privacy measures are in place is essential to mitigate these risks.
By carefully selecting AI tools that prioritise data security and implementing strict access controls, HR professionals can harness AI’s benefits while safeguarding sensitive information.
AI tools like ELLA – Zellis’ Embedded Large Language Assistant – can ensure peace of mind regarding data security. ELLA operates within your dedicated, private security environment, guaranteeing that data is kept safe and confidential.
17% are looking to develop in-house AI tools with their IT team
Although IT departments can develop bespoke AI software solutions, this requires a team with significant AI expertise and capabilities.
Techniques to fully unlock the power of AI
An AI tool should provide flexibility and control over 5 key areas to fully unlock the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generate the best responses and business outcomes:
- 1. Prompt engineering
- 2. Retrieval augmented generation
- 3. Fine tuning of domain-specific models
- 4. Reinforcement learning using human feedback
- 5. AI-enabled workflows
The future of AI in HR
To conclude, integrating AI into HR and business operations is not just a trend, but a transformative movement reshaping the professional landscape. Our webinars highlighted AI’s immense potential across various sectors, from finance and healthcare to retail and publishing. The insights gathered from anonymous polls underscored a growing interest and a significant shift towards AI adoption among professionals.
By leveraging AI, organisations can streamline processes, enhance productivity, and allow employees to focus on more meaningful and strategic tasks. However, it is crucial to approach AI implementation thoughtfully. This involves carefully selecting AI tools, robust data governance, and continuously evaluating AI’s impact on efficiency and productivity.
HR professionals, in particular, play a pivotal role in navigating this transition to AI. From identifying areas ripe for automation to measuring productivity gains and ensuring data security, HR is at the forefront of integrating AI into the workplace.
As we progress, the key to successful AI integration lies in continuous learning, strategic implementation, and a commitment to leveraging technology to create more efficient, productive, and engaging workplaces.
Key takeaways
- Over half of HR professionals said that their organisations are actively looking to integrate AI into their processes
- Measuring AI’s impact through time saved and productivity gains is crucial for success
- AI is expected to transform task execution, streamline processes, and enhance productivity across white collar industries
- Evaluating current HR vendors’ AI capabilities is a crucial first step in AI adoption
- Data security and governance must remain a top priority in AI implementation
- Layering AI tools over existing HR systems can extend functionality, but requires caution
- Integrating AI into HR and business operations is not just a trend, it is a transformative movement reshaping the professional landscape.
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