Generative AI in people operations: The digital spark igniting HR’s strategic evolution.
Disruptive technologies tend to spark equal parts interest and fear in people directly affected by them. Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) has had a similar effect; however, its accessibility and the vast variety of use cases have created a buzz that has led to a profound impact on jobs of every nature.
Within HR (Human Resources), Generative AI can help automate and optimize repetitive tasks customized at an employee level.
Generative AI in People Operations
Very basic use cases include generating interview questions, creating job postings, and assisting in writing performance reviews. It can also help personalize each employee’s experience at the company by building custom onboarding paths, learning plans, and performance reviews.
This takes a bit off the HR team’s plates, leaving more time for strategic thinking and decision-making. On a metrics level, AI can help in hiring decisions by calculating turnover, attrition, and performance.
Learning and development in the modern workforce
Now, more than ever, companies are investing in and reaping the benefits of Learning and Development (L&D), leading to better employee experiences, lower turnover, higher productivity, and performance at work. In an ever-changing technological environment, upskilling employees has taken center stage.
As technology reshapes industries, skill requirements have shifted, demanding continuous adaptation. Amid the proliferation of automation, AI, and digitalization, investing in learning ensures individuals remain relevant and competitive.
Moreover, fostering a culture of continuous development within organizations enhances employee satisfaction and engagement, driving innovation and propelling businesses forward in an era where staying ahead is synonymous with staying educated. In addition to that, younger employees are attracted to learning opportunities and value career growth based on skill development.
Personalization in learning through generative AI
A particular way that generative AI impacts and influences learning and development is through greater personalization in learning.
Using datasets and algorithms, AI can help generate adaptable educational content based on analyzing each learner’s learning patterns, strengths, and areas of improvement. AI can help craft learning paths that cater to everyone’s learning needs which can be tailored according to their cognitive preferences.
Since L&D professionals spend a lot of their time generating content for trainings and workshops, AI can help not only generate this content for them but also, based on the learning styles, comprehension speed, and complexity of the material, determine the best pedagogy.
For trainers creating teaching material, Generative AI lightens the workload of educators by producing assessments, quizzes, and study materials. AI can swiftly create a range of evaluation tools tailored to specific learning outcomes, granting educators more time to focus on analyzing results and adapting their teaching strategies accordingly.
Immersive experiences and simulations
One of the important ways that training is designed is through immersive experiences and simulations. These are often difficult to create and take lengthy hours. Using Generative AI, professionals can create scenarios, characters, and environments close to real life enhancing the experience of experiential learning.
Learning skills that are elevated risk, for example, medical procedures or hazardous industrial tasks, learners can now be exposed to such situations without risk on a secure platform using a simulation generated through AI.
In addition to being able to learn in an experiential simulation which can lead to skill mastery, such simulations can also generate personalized feedback for each learner which can lead to a better employee experience.
Due to the adaptability of these simulations, they can be customized according to the learner’s pace and style. AI can help spark creativity by generating unexpected ideas or suggestions, prompting educators to think outside the box and explore innovative teaching approaches.
Generative AI optimizes content creation processes, offering educators time-saving tools while preserving the need for human guidance and creativity to ensure optimal educational outcomes.
Ethical use of AI in learning and development
Although AI can help speed up the process of creating training content, this is an area where human expertise is always needed to verify accuracy and quality. It is necessary to review and refine AI-generated content, contextualizing it based on relevance, and adding a personal touch to make it relatable for learners.
This constructive interaction ensures that the advantages of AI are leveraged while ensuring speed. As with other AI-generated content, there are certain ethical considerations that L&D professionals must consider when using it to create content. Educators must ensure that AI-generated materials respect intellectual property and provide accurate attributions to original sources.
Read more –> Generative AI – Understanding the ethics and societal impact of emerging trends
Transparent communication about AI involvement is crucial to maintain trust and authenticity in educational settings. We have discussed at length how AI is useful in generating customizable learning experiences. However, AI relies on user data for personalization, requiring strict measures to protect sensitive information.
It is also extremely important to ensure transparency when using AI to generate content for training where learners must be able to distinguish between AI-generated and human-created materials. L&D professionals also need to address any biases that might inadvertently seep into AI-generated content.
The human element in learning and development
AI has proven to be proficient in helping make processes quicker and more streamlined; however, its inability to understand complex human emotions limits its capacity to understand culture and context.
When dealing with sensitive issues in learning and development, L&D professionals should be wary of the lack of emotional intelligence in AI-generated content which is required for sensitive subjects, interpersonal interactions, and certain creative endeavors.
Human intervention remains essential for content that necessitates a deep understanding of human complexities.
Conclusion
Assuming that with time there will be greater involvement of AI in people operations for the need of automation, HR leaders will have to ensure that the human element is not lost during it.
This should be seen as an opportunity by HR professionals to reduce the number of administrative tasks, automating the menial work and focus more on strategic decision making. As we discussed, learning and development can be aided by AI, empowering educators with efficient tools and learners with engaging simulations, fostering experiential learning. However, the symbiotic relationship between AI and human involvement remains crucial for a balanced and effective educational landscape.
With an increase in the importance of learning and development at companies, generative AI is a revolutionizing tool helping people strategy by enabling dynamic content creation, adaptive learning experiences, and enhanced engagement.
In this evolving landscape, the fusion of human and AI capabilities will shape the future of learning and development in HR.
