The conversation around AI for HR has exploded, and with it, a wave of anxiety, excitement, and confusion. Is AI going to automate away all the “people” in People teams? Will junior HR jobs disappear? Or is this a chance for HR to finally ditch admin hell and get closer to the strategic table?

In a recent LinkedIn Live, Emma Davies, CEO and Co-founder of Thesmia.ai, and Amira Kohler, HR change consultant and founder of People Stuff, unpacked the complex role AI is playing in HR today.

This blog captures the key themes, insights, and practical advice from that conversation — including what HR professionals should do next.

AI for HR: A double-edged sword

AI is undoubtedly transforming the HR landscape. It’s speeding up admin tasks, making data analysis more efficient, and helping busy HR leaders reclaim time. But it’s not all good news.

As Emma and Amira point out, AI in HR is a double-edged sword.

On one hand, tools like generative AI and automation platforms are freeing up HR teams from tasks like:

• Policy queries

• Sending reminders

• Drafting standardised communications

• Sorting through mountains of people data

On the other hand, if used poorly, AI can undermine trust, reduce nuance, and dehumanise communication, especially when misused as a replacement for actual interpersonal dialogue.

“There’s a big difference between using AI to support strategy and letting AI generate your culture,” Emma notes. “And that difference matters.”

What AI can (and can’t) do in HR

Amira breaks it down simply: AI is brilliant at structured tasks, such as:

• Repetitive admin

• Linear queries with clear answers

• Surface-level data analysis

• Drafting initial outputs (e.g., strategies or business cases)

But AI still fails at context. It cannot:

• Read a room

• Understand organisational nuance

• Navigate emotional undercurrents during transformation

• Interpret culture shifts

So yes, AI is coming for some parts of your job — but mostly the parts HR hates anyway.

Ostrich syndrome: the real risk for HR

The biggest threat to HR right now? Doing nothing.

Amira and Emma describe a phenomenon they call “Ostrich Syndrome” — where HR professionals bury their heads in the sand, avoiding AI entirely out of fear, overwhelm, or lack of time.

“Being an ostrich isn’t protection,” Amira says. “It’s vulnerability. AI is here. Your employees are already using it. You need to catch up — safely.”

This avoidance leads to:

• Shadow AI (employees using tools like ChatGPT on personal devices)

• Lack of governance and data risk

• Missed opportunities for productivity

• HR losing credibility as a strategic partner

The fix? Start small. Experiment. Learn. Talk to IT. Get involved in the conversation before decisions are made without you.

Strategic integration: AI needs a purpose in HR

Many organisations are implementing AI tools reactively — without aligning them to business goals or people strategies. This is a fundamental misstep.

Emma puts it clearly:

“Plugging in AI just because you have a Teams licence and get Copilot for free? That’s not strategy. That’s noise.”

AI for HR must be tied to specific business outcomes. That means understanding:

• Your organisation’s growth strategy

• Your people’s pain points

• Your HR infrastructure

• How tools can free time for strategic, human-centred work

Don’t start with the tool — start with the problem. Then, identify if AI is the right solution.

Gender gaps and inclusion in AI use

The conversation also touched on a critical — and often overlooked — topic: gender disparity in AI adoption.

Stats show women are adopting GenAI tools at lower rates than men, often due to:

• Privacy and data security concerns

• Time constraints due to caregiving or workload

• Stereotyping and lack of confidence with tech

• Historical exposure to tech-related risks (e.g., doxxing, data leaks)

Amira calls on organisations to create safe, inclusive AI learning environments, such as:

• Women-only AI learning groups

• Inclusive AI onboarding programmes

• Clear training on AI bias, privacy, and governance

Because if women — who make up the majority in HR — are hesitant to use AI, then the function risks falling behind.

Early careers & AI: A ticking time bomb?

One of the most worrying impacts of AI is on early careers roles. Many entry-level HR and business roles are at risk of being automated — which creates huge long-term problems for organisations.

“If you remove all junior roles, who becomes the next CPO?” asks Emma.

Smart organisations are already correcting for this short-sightedness, reintroducing graduate roles and pairing them with AI tools — not replacing them. The future is augmented teams, where juniors learn by working alongside smart automation and develop the judgement AI still can’t replicate.

The rise of agentic AI — and why HR needs to be ready

Agentic AI goes beyond chat-based tools. These systems don’t just respond to prompts — they take action, automate workflows, and behave like autonomous team members.

Example? An agentic AI that sends onboarding emails, tracks responses, chases missing documents, and offboards employees — all without human input.

Sounds efficient? It is. But the ethical concerns are real:

• Should AI tools have human names to sound more relatable?

• Who’s accountable when they behave inappropriately?

• What happens when bias is embedded in how they act?

Amira argues HR must become the ethical guardian of AI within organisations, leading on:

• AI governance

• Responsible AI policies

• Bias detection and prevention

• Employee trust and transparency

Final advice for HR Leaders

To wrap up the session, Emma and Amira offer this advice for any HR leader navigating the AI shift:

Start small, start now.

Identify low-risk, admin-heavy tasks and use AI to support them. Build confidence through experimentation.

Be part of the conversation.

Don’t wait to be invited. Lead the AI conversation internally — especially around people and growth.

Use tools with built-in guardrails.

Not all AI tools are created equal. Choose platforms (like Thesmia.ai) that are designed for safe, responsible HR use.

Stay human.

Let AI do the heavy lifting — so you can focus on empathy, culture, and leadership. That’s the real value of HR.

AI for HR: A catalyst, not a threat

In short, AI for HR is not the enemy. It’s a powerful tool — but only when integrated with intention, oversight, and a human-first mindset.

HR professionals have a choice: get ahead of the AI wave and shape its role inside your organisation — or risk being shaped by it.

The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert. You just need to get curious, get informed, and get involved.