The AI you can actually use: Real adoption and results inside HR

As we know - AI isn’t something that’s coming in the future — it’s already here, and it’s already reshaping how we hire, develop and engage our people. The pace of change can feel daunting at times, but the big challenge for us in HR is how we shift from dabbling with new tools to really using AI as a strategic enabler. In this episode, Lucy explores the key opportunities and risks — from ethics and trust, through to leadership development, talent management and employee engagement with the help of one of the leading voices in people analytics and digital HR David Green.

David shares research showing more companies now have dedicated AI governance for HR, and why moving from “jobs” to “tasks and skills” matters if we want technology to augment work rather than trigger blunt headcount cuts. The conversation explores what great employee listening looks like when you blend surveys with collaboration and behavioral signals (at aggregate level), plus the implications for hybrid work, org design, and keeping the human experience at the centre.

For HR professionals wondering where to start, David’s advice is simple: build AI literacy, experiment hands-on, identify a few high-value use cases tied to business priorities, and iterate with a sponsor. The capability stack HR needs now ranges from data/AI literacy and stakeholder influence to human-centred design, storytelling, and emotional intelligence—so we can automate the repetitive, personalise the meaningful, and lead the transformation with credibility.

Chapters

00:03 — Meet David Green David’s journey from recruitment to people analytics; Insight222 and the Digital HR Leaders podcast.

07:04 — What’s actually being used Adoption snapshot; chatbots, sentiment analysis of feedback, and augmented JD writing. 12:40 — Trust, ethics & redesigning work Governance and transparency; shifting from jobs to tasks/skills; keeping the human experience central. 20:50 — Strategy to practice AI as a strategic enabler; leadership development, employee listening/hybrid insights, the HR skillset, and where to start.

Contact David: www.insight222.com

Discover more about Disruptive HR

• Find out more about Disruptive HR: www.disruptivehr.com
• Get in touch: hello@disruptivehr.com
• Check out The Disruptive HR Club: https://disruptivehr.com/the-club/