HR Leader Uses AI as a Thinking Partner, Not a Replacement
Ramya Balakrishnan, Vice President of Global Talent & Development at Coty, treats AI like an extra 0.5 employee on her team. She doesn't use it to replace her thinking-she uses it to sharpen it.
The approach is straightforward: she starts with her own point of view, then uses AI to expand, challenge, and refine it. That discipline changes how she leads. She enters conversations more prepared, more structured, and clearer in her thinking. The result is stronger alignment, faster decisions, and better outcomes across her teams.
The Discipline That Matters
Balakrishnan has spent over 15 years in talent and organizational development roles across North America and Asia, including leadership positions at Unilever, Sun Life, GE, Maxis, and Dell. That background shapes how she approaches AI in her work.
"First think, then AI," she said. "I'm very deliberate about not outsourcing thinking."
The risk is real. Skip the thinking step, and everything starts to sound the same and feel disconnected. AI is effective at removing repetition and getting you to a starting point faster. But judgment, context, and final decisions must stay human.
Leading Through Ambiguity
Balakrishnan's approach to change management rests on one insight: clarity will always lag change. Waiting for everything to make sense before acting means moving too slowly.
She anchors on two principles. First, momentum over perfection. She'd rather move at 80% and course-correct than wait for a plan that becomes outdated the moment it's ready. Second, constant communication. In fast-moving environments, gaps in communication cause more damage than imperfect decisions.
"Teams don't need certainty as much as they need direction and movement," she said. "Confidence comes from progress, not from having all the answers."
One Takeaway for HR Leaders
Balakrishnan is speaking at InteracTech Asia 2026, a closed-door conference for HR leaders and technologists on May 20 in Singapore. Her main message to attendees: don't wait for the perfect use case.
Start using AI in your own work now. Try things, move quickly, and learn as you go. This is something you can only build by doing.
For those interested in deepening their understanding of how AI can enhance your effectiveness as an HR professional, resources like AI for Human Resources and AI Productivity Courses offer practical frameworks for getting started.
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