Where AI Can — and Can’t — Help Talent Management | Harvard Business Review

The influx of AI tools in HR has the potential to transform multiple aspects of talent management—such as hiring, workforce planning, and internal mobility, to name a few. And while I have made several posts about the promise these platforms show, I have also written about the risks they present. This new article summarizes how AI tools in talent management can provide organizations an advantage and where it presents risks and challenges for three TM areas: 1) employee attraction, 2) employee development, and 3) employee retention. The authors provide several risk mitigation strategies to overcome common challenges, such as a) Low Trust in AI-Driven Decisions, b) AI Bias and Ethical Implications, c) Erosion of Employee Privacy, and d) Potential for Legal Risk. To supplement the recommendations in this article, I am resharing this 59-page toolkit developed by the World Economic Forum to promote the responsible use of AI-based tools in HR. It includes two editable checklists and questionnaires to guide the evaluation and implementation of HR-based AI platforms. 1) Tool Assessment Checklist (pages 29-45) focuses on the decision to adopt a specific AI-based HR tool, including questions to ask vendors and organizational stakeholders. 2) Planning Checklist (pages 46-54) addresses how firms can plan for using AI in HR and how HR can develop the capacity to support these efforts. The HBR article and WEF toolkit provide several ideas for tapping the potential of AI-based HR tools while reducing risk.