What Every Leader Must Know about AI in HR

🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube | Apple | Spotify

In today's episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we welcome Bill Agostini, Senior Advisor in Strategic HR. Bill shares insights from his 25-year career in HR and corporate communications, spanning continents and industries.

He explores how HR's role has evolved from personnel management to becoming a strategic business partner. Bill also discusses the future of HR, focusing on how organizations can leverage AI and technology to drive efficiency and better support employee well-being.

Watch the full episode by clicking below ⬇️

In this episode, Bill discusses:

🤖 The AI Evolution in HR

→ Bill discusses how AI is streamlining HR processes, freeing teams from admin work to focus on strategy and employee engagement.

🌍 Global HR Practices

→ Learn what the US, Europe, and the Middle East are doing differently and how you can implement these global HR insights.

💡 Evolving HR Into Strategic Partners

→ Bill explains how HR must evolve from transactional tasks to becoming a true strategic partner within the organization.

📈 Employee Engagement in the AI Era

→ Discover how AI can enhance employee well-being and engagement by freeing up HR to focus on the human element of work.

🔮 What advice Bill had for future HR leaders:

"HR needs to move beyond Industrial Revolution-era metrics and processes. If we want to create real value, we must become playmakers—deploying talent where it's needed most, fostering continuous learning, and aligning with business strategy in real-time."

"HR professionals must prioritize creating a culture of accountability and development, where managers take full responsibility for their teams. By empowering leaders to foster talent and lead by example, HR can shift from being seen as policy enforcers to becoming true enablers of growth and innovation within the organization."

📚 Additional Insights: How to Prepare for HR’s AI-Driven Future

While AI is revolutionizing HR by reducing administrative tasks and improving efficiency, it's essential to ensure your organization is ready to embrace this change fully. Here are three actionable steps to help you prepare:

1. Invest in Learning & Development As AI takes over repetitive tasks, HR professionals need to upskill in areas like strategic thinking, data analytics, and emotional intelligence. These skills will enable them to lead more effectively and work alongside AI-driven tools, rather than being replaced by them.

2. Leverage AI for Personalized Employee Support AI can be used to create personalized employee development plans, track well-being, and monitor engagement levels in real-time. Implementing AI-driven platforms for employee support can help create a more engaged and satisfied workforce.

3. Foster a Culture of Agility The future of HR demands flexibility. Encourage an agile mindset across your teams, where learning, unlearning, and adapting to new tools and processes is the norm. This will help your organization stay ahead in the rapidly changing work landscape.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget that technology is only as effective as the strategy behind it. Make sure your AI solutions align with your overall HR goals and organizational objectives!

📚 You might be interested in:

This episode covered so many important topics, here's an additional resource for you to dive a bit deeper:

• Get proven ROI at every stage with the all-together hiring platform.

• (Start for FREE) Get instant answers to any HR questions with the world's AI copilot for HR

• A recent episode of the HR Leaders podcast covering "How to Retain Your Top Talent in 2025"

🙏 We couldn't do it without you!

Thank you to Bill Agostini for sharing her time, expertise, and vision with our listeners.

Also our episode and series sponsor, Greenhouse and their brilliant team Daniel Chait, Carin Van Vuuren (she/her), Trenton Kenagy, and Robin Cornuelle and Kelsey Bernert at Daybreak Studio.

None of this would be possible without Shane Kemp, James Elwell, Rio André, Kenneth Browne and the team at HR Leaders and atlas copilot for bringing the podcast to life.

Thank you to our previous guests: Paaras Parker, Luke Wynne, Jon Stross, Larry Emond, Tony Buffum, Jennifer Moore, Matthew Hamilton, Debra Corey, Kalifa Oliver, Jeff Cates, Keith Sonderling, Jacob Morgan, Scott Domann, and many more.

⏭️ Join us at our next event:

1. Global Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Summit - 16 October

2. HR Leaders Innovation Roundtable at Merck - 21 October

3. How to Build a Culture of Feedback to Fuel the Human-Centred Workplace - 7 November

P.S. If you like the HR Leaders podcast, help us grow the show by rating us on Apple or Spotify ⭐️, or share this with a friend or colleague ♻️.