Jessica Miller Merrell* paves the way for positive AI by enabling AI to rapidly uplift the role of humans, allowing them to spend more time together because they are human beings.
First let me say that I love AI.
Before most people knew what a chatbot was, I had one on my website.
I used tools like Zapier to build automation into my business even before automation was available on the platforms I used. I think the pandemic has accelerated the development of AI-assisted technologies, and I think they can be put to good use.
Today, we have reached the “top of AI” in society and in the workplace.
Ask anyone who works in HR about adopting new technology and they’ll tell you that change is scary, but it can be managed.
Why understanding AI tools is key to HR success
In September 2018, I attended an HR technology conference. The terms “machine learning” and “artificial intelligence” were also at the highest hype level there.
Artificial intelligence focuses on building human-like intelligence with an emphasis on automation.
There are many use cases for artificial intelligence in HR technology in the areas of talent procurement, candidate evaluation, employee engagement, benefits enrollment, onboarding, and employee self-service.
Imagine a technology that uses AI to quickly answer employee questions.
AI technology can help understand, answer, and customize answers to employee questions (for example, an employee looking for information on how to find a W-2).
Fast forward to 2023 and the media is full of articles about new AI technologies, generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing Chat, and Google’s Bard AI Assistant.
There’s also a resurgence of the phrase “robots will take our jobs” (just to be quick, robots won’t replace humans in the near future).
AI has some problem areas, but there are other ways to think about using AI as a tool to improve productivity and automate tasks that many HR professionals spend a lot of time on. There are also many
A warning about the use of AI in HR and recruitment
One of my favorite interviews on the Workology Podcast of 2021 was with Merve Hickok: Episode 286: Ethics and Prejudices in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology.
Merve is the Founder of AIEthicist.org and a Business Process Analyst at High Sierra Industries.
She is an independent consultant, lecturer, and speaker on the ethics and biases of AI and its impact on individuals, organizations, and society.
She is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for AI and Digital Policy and has over 15 years of experience as a global-level Senior Research Fellow with a particular focus on HR Technology, Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion.
In the podcast, Mabe discusses not only some flaws in AI that could lead to the exclusion of disabled and other marginalized groups, but also how a healthy balance of ethics policy and artificial intelligence is for HR departments. It also talks about what it is like.
she said: “I always say that AI can be used in a very positive way to understand your company first. Understand if there is or what kind of person is being promoted.
What kind of people are given the opportunity to grow? What is the composition of your company, applicants and retirees?”
How AI can help recruit talent in HR
In Artificial Intelligence and How It Will Revolutionize HR, I wrote about different types of AI and its application to HR.
Artificial intelligence and the innovation it brings to the workplace can have a positive impact on talent.
For example, consider the hiring process.
Anyone who works in HR knows that the hiring process is long, costly, and tedious.
It all starts with reviewing thousands of applications to find the right candidate.
Next, you need to organize interviews and train new hires.
According to a 2022 study by SHRM, nearly 1 in 4 organizations report using automation or AI to support HR-related activities such as recruiting and recruiting.
In a ResumeBuilder February 2023 survey, business leaders said their companies use ChatGPT in a variety of ways.
Of the companies currently using ChatGPT, 66% use it for coding, 58% use it for copywriting/content creation, 57% use it for customer support, and 52% use it for meeting and outlining documents doing.
A majority of companies also use ChatGPT to drive adoption. 77% said it helps them write job descriptions, 66% help draft interview requirements, and 65% help answer candidates.
Why generative AI policies matter to HR
Should companies trust their employees to use AI tools in ways that don’t endanger sensitive information?
Bloomberg reported that a February 2023 survey of 62 HR leaders by consulting firm Gartner found that about half of them had developed guidance on employee use of ChatGPt. .
As you consider all aspects of the HR value chain, consider how repetitive tasks can be reduced so you can spend more time with your candidates.
One of the key skills we will need in the future is critical thinking.
Your AI can handle the basics, but your human workforce will need to be upskilled to handle the complexities. Not enough people are currently educated in AI, and it is considered a skills shortage, so if you want to fit into the workforce of the future, you need to consider this now.
The key is to have a clear AI strategy.
We have historically seen “mobile first,” but it is rapidly moving to “AI first.”
Be prepared to tackle the obstacles companies will face with artificial intelligence.
After all, we are still engaging with people, and people have emotions that we must consider when adapting to new technology. SHRM has a great resource on “how to write the best ChatGPT policies”.
I think the most important thing to understand about AI is that AI has flaws, but they can be cross-checked and adjusted by real humans.
Developing a generative AI policy in your workplace is a great start (and a good way to ensure that sensitive or proprietary information about your company isn’t accidentally leaked out into the world).
When working with HR technology vendors, it’s important to understand how they’re using AI and how it’s specifically applied to your own use cases.
If ATS uses artificial intelligence to scan human faces (e.g. in video evaluation of candidates), how does it know that what it scans does not exclude protected classes? ?
We must be able to answer these questions if we are to leverage available technology to increase productivity and make our jobs easier.
My book “Digital Talent: Creative Strategy in the Era of Digital Talent Recruitment” (SHRM; 2023)
* Jessica Miller Merrell is the founder of Workology, a digital resource that reaches over half a million HR and workplace leaders each month. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, daughter, and various furry family members.
