How AI Implementations are Revolutionizing HR Processes

In an exclusive interview with Asia Business Outlook, Zulfiqar Zaidi, Director of HR & Strategic Planning, Highnoon, discusses how the integration of AI has changed HR Processes over time.  His career path wasn't exactly straight and narrow. It all started with a surprise landing in sales, then he took an unexpected bounce into banking and finance. But finally, he found his calling in HR at the British High Commission in Pakistan. For the next two decades, he dove headfirst into the world of HR within Pakistan's telecom industry, riding the wave of its rise, saturation, and ultimate transformation. How do you perceive the role of technology evolving within HR functions, and what strategies would we need to implement to ensure its seamless integration into our business operations?

Remember Deep Blue beating chess champ Kasparov? That was a turning point for AI. Since then, advancements have been fueled by three things: more computing power, massive data feeding, and smarter algorithms. The evolution of AI ever since has been phenomenal.

Let's talk about what's been driving the impressive advancements in AI over the years. Think of it like a three-legged stool: compute, data, and algorithms. Picture this: researchers keep beefing up their AI systems with more computational muscle power, feeding them loads of data, or tinkering with algorithms to make them work smarter. This trio has been the engine behind AI's journey so far, and it's why most folks in the AI world don't see progress slowing down anytime soon.

Shifting gears, let's zoom into the world of business and HR, where the heat is on due to a bunch of external pressures. First off, there's the shadow of a recent pandemic that shook up how we work, pushing remote work into the spotlight globally. Then there are global conflicts stirring up supply chain trouble and labor market shifts. On top of that, younger generations are demanding more flexibility, fairness, and eco-friendly practices, while technology keeps evolving at breakneck speed, adding to the competitive frenzy.

Now, here's where HR can really shine: by embracing technology strategically. Instead of just focusing on making things more efficient, HR can use tech to gain a competitive edge, aligning with the company's big-picture goals. But let's not kid ourselves – AI's rise means most transactional HR tasks will be automated, especially once regulatory hurdles are cleared.

Take talent retention, for example. Big data analytics are already moving from predicting who might leave to telling us how to keep them around. And with AI lurking in the wings, personalized learning paths for employees aren't just a pipe dream anymore – they're becoming a reality. This means HR can step up its game, focusing on more impactful ways to contribute to the business.

Of course, integrating AI into HR isn't just about plugging in some fancy tech – it's also about winning hearts and minds. Getting everyone on board, from employees to top brass, is crucial. And the key to winning them over? Showing them how AI can solve their problems and make their lives easier.

So, buckle up – the AI revolution in HR is just getting started. And those who adapt and embrace it will be the ones leading the charge into the future of work.

"The progress in AI systems are basically depending on three key areas which power computation, data itself and the quality of algorithms that are in place."

With increasing concerns about data privacy and security, what protocols would you establish to safeguard sensitive HR information while still utilizing technology effectively?

The technology bubble has burst over the past two decades and it gave way to a lot of technology giants like Google and Facebook and later on Meta. Data protection acts have come into the picture as well that are primarily focusing on the classification of documents in terms of access. This has been incorporated into governments and organizations and both kinds of institutions are currently using it. Data protection measures have been evolving due to increased risks in data privacy which is also increasing with the growth of internet access. Some of the changes have taken place in terms of customized access to users in accordance with their job roles, ensuring high-level inscriptions and also eliminating redundancies. At the same time, the users also require regular training and there needs to be periodic audits in all kinds of data security protocols. There are also concerns about the vast volume of data required to train and enable an effective AI that involves emails, social media platforms, and other forms of communicative interaction procedures that are happening digitally. In this regard, it is very important to select the data that needs to be used in order to train the AI which needs to happen beforehand while building new technology systems.

How would you ensure that technology-driven HR initiatives are inclusive and accessible to all employees, including those with diverse backgrounds or varying levels of technological proficiency?

There are sizable risks involved in AI deployments. These systems are revolutionizing the ways we tackle HR challenges and contribute to the core business of any given organization. If we look at the perspective of challenges that are involved, we can see biases when it comes to engaging with AI. Most of these systems are configured from the standpoint of the business owner which can result in a specific perspective being built into the platform without thorough research on the perspective of the workforce. Workplaces that are labor-intensive with repetitive jobs are more susceptible to such biases. This is why careful considerations need to be made while compiling data for training AI platforms. Governments around the world are coming up with recommendations in this regard that are helpful in customizing AI regulations.