CHROs must lead AI implementation or risk losing competitive edge
Chief human resources officers need to take charge of AI training across their organisations or watch employees fall behind competitors who do, according to Paul McNamara, founder and CEO of consulting firm ADAPTOVATE.
Many companies are wasting money on AI initiatives without clear strategies to deliver business results, McNamara said. The problem isn't the technology - it's discipline in how organisations spend and deploy it.
Three stages of AI adoption
McNamara describes AI in three categories: personal productivity tools, workflow automation, and ambitious "moonshot" projects. Most organisations start with the first two before attempting larger transformations.
The stakes are real. "AI is not going to take jobs, but people who know AI will take people's jobs," McNamara said. "If you're not using it, you won't be competitive in the market."
Training needs to fit how people actually learn
CHROs should design AI training like social media platforms, McNamara argued. Short, consumable lessons - think six-minute videos - work better than traditional corporate training modules.
"I need to consume it like I do my social media right on the bus, as I listen to a podcast on the bus," he said. This approach makes learning fit into employees' existing habits rather than requiring dedicated time blocks.
Governance must come first
Before scaling AI across the workforce, organisations need maintenance and governance structures in place. Without these foundations, large rollouts fail to deliver returns.
The European Union has already moved on this - the EU AI Act mandates AI training across workforces by August 2. The US market increasingly expects companies to show returns on AI spending. Australia lags behind both regions.
Retain expertise while building new skills
McNamara advised CHROs to identify senior employees with deep expertise and upskill them in AI first. These people become internal champions who can drive adoption across teams.
"You have to step up as an HR leader and say, 'I'm going to lead this, and my people need to learn how to do it first,'" he said. This approach protects institutional knowledge while building capability for the broader transformation.
For HR leaders looking to structure this work, resources like an AI Learning Path for CHROs can help build a foundation for leading these initiatives.
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