3 Takeaways With Ben Eubanks on Research & AI
Skills are shifting, turnover is up, and AI is changing roles faster than org charts can keep up. HR needs practical moves that protect people, improve performance, and keep trust intact. Few voices are as grounded on this topic as Ben Eubanks-Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, bestselling author, and a SPARK favorite. Here are the top insights from our conversation and what to expect at SPARK HR 2026.
1) By the Book: AI is a tool, not a silver bullet
Eubanks' latest edition of Artificial Intelligence for HR draws a hard line: "AI isn't the answer to every problem." The point isn't to automate everything; it's to get specific about where AI helps and where humans must lead. "The skills that matter most are the ones AI can't replicate," he says. "This book is about making work more human, using technology as a lever for that."
- Use AI for pattern-heavy work: summarizing feedback, skills inference, sourcing, knowledge retrieval.
- Keep people in the loop for judgment, context, ethics, and empathy-things machines don't do well.
- Set guardrails: approvals, audit trails, data privacy, and clear ownership for outcomes.
If you want the core frameworks and examples, the book is a solid starting point: Artificial Intelligence for HR.
2) Employees are anxious. Leaders can turn that into progress.
"70% of workers are concerned AI is or will disrupt their skills. Imagine just ten of your workers, and seven are worrying about the future of their career." The fear is real. The opportunity is bigger. "The problem is there, but so is the opportunity for us to help enable our employees over time."
- Publish a skills roadmap: which roles change, which skills rise, and what that means in plain language.
- Offer short, visible wins: 60-90 minute labs on prompts, data privacy basics, and AI etiquette.
- Tie learning to mobility: show internal gigs, projects, and promotions linked to new skills.
- Train managers to coach with AI: feedback, career mapping, and fair use guidelines.
- Measure sentiment monthly: track fear, clarity, and adoption; adjust comms and training accordingly.
Need curated options for role-based upskilling? Explore practical paths here: AI courses by job.
3) From "automate tasks" to "expand impact"
With hype cooling, Eubanks is moving into specifics on where AI should take on new roles instead of just automating old ones. "I'll be going over some tools I've built and tested over the past few months that will allow [HR professionals] to meet the needs of more people." The goal is simple: save time where it's repetitive, then reinvest it into real human interactions.
- Candidate and employee Q&A assistants that cut response times without losing tone or policy accuracy.
- Career pathing copilots that suggest next skills, mentors, and internal moves with manager oversight.
- Listening at scale: summarize surveys, exits, and check-ins to surface early retention risks.
- Ethics first: bias checks, audit logs, and clear review steps so HR stays trusted.
SPARK HR 2026: What to expect
St. Pete Beach, FL, April 28-30. If this conversation sparked ideas, the sessions will give you playbooks. From calming AI job-loss fears to spotting flight risks before they walk, you'll leave with retention strategies that work and practical solutions for burnout.
You'll hear from leaders at Disney, Chick-fil-A, LinkedIn, and more. It's hands-on, interactive, and built for people who want to ship results-not theory. Plus, it's at the beach. Click here to register today.
Your membership also unlocks:
