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Mariam Mushtaq here from HR Brain Pickings. 👋
In today’s edition
1. [Recap] Session 3: The AI-Q Test: How AI-Ready Are You? with Iwo Szapar
2. The AI Adoption Curve: Mapping the Journey
3. 🔓 Unlock Resource: Tools List: A Curated List of Recommended AI Tools for Talent Acquisition
4. 🙏 People Analytics | EngageWith
5. Today’s HR Reads for You 📚️
[Recap] Session 3: The AI-Q Test: How AI-Ready Are You? with Iwo Szapar
In this dynamic session, Iwo Szapar, advisor and entrepreneur, took us on an insightful journey through his global study on AI adoption, conducted in collaboration with scientists from Harvard. The session centered around helping HR leaders and knowledge workers understand where they stand on the AI Adoption Curve and how to become truly AI-ready.
Are You Ready for AI?
Iwo began by addressing the big question on everyone’s mind: How AI-ready are we really? He set the stage by explaining that while AI adoption is growing rapidly, many of us still feel a sense of overwhelm. "We are concerned, and rightly so," he said, noting that 47% of workers worry about the potential loss of jobs due to AI advancements in the next five years.
However, instead of focusing on fears, Iwo encouraged the audience to embrace the opportunities AI brings and assess what parts of their work could be automated or augmented.
💡 “Think about the tasks that might be automated or augmented, and focus on those that will remain human-centric,” he suggested, setting a positive tone for the session.
The AI Adoption Curve: Mapping the Journey
The session then shifted to Iwo’s groundbreaking research findings, unveiling the AI Adoption Curve. This curve helps organizations understand where they currently stand in terms of AI adoption and what steps they need to take to improve.
3 Categories of AI Integration:
1. Automated Tasks – These are tasks that will soon be fully automated, freeing up time for more strategic work.
2. Augmented Tasks – Here, AI supports human work by speeding up processes or improving decision-making, but humans are still in control.
3. Human-Only Tasks – Finally, there are tasks that require human judgment and emotional intelligence, which AI can’t replicate.
Iwo emphasized the importance of evaluating which category your daily tasks fall into and identifying areas for potential AI integration. "AI isn’t here to take over everything," he reassured. "There are still plenty of tasks that only humans can do, especially when it comes to managing change."
▶️ AI adoption is higher in smaller companies and among remote workers.
As part of his research, Iwo revealed some fascinating statistics about AI adoption in the workplace.
He highlighted that smaller companies (1 to 50 employees) are the heaviest users of AI, with many employees interacting with AI tools multiple times a day. This suggests that smaller organizations are quicker to adopt new technologies to stay competitive.
💡 “Remote workers, in particular, are embracing AI,” Iwo added. This makes sense, as AI tools help bridge the gap between distributed teams, boosting productivity and fostering collaboration in remote environments. 🌍
AI Readiness: Assessing Your Organization’s AI Maturity
One of the session’s highlights was the introduction of the AI Maturity Index, a tool developed by Iwo and his team to help organizations assess their AI readiness. Attendees were invited to take part in a live benchmarking exercise to determine their own score.
“We wanted to give everyone a clear, data-driven picture of where they stand when it comes to AI adoption,” Iwo explained. The AI Maturity Index takes into account several factors:
• The tools you’re using
• The frequency of AI use
• The industry you’re in
• Whether your team is remote or on-site
By understanding these variables, organizations can map out their path toward higher AI maturity and readiness.
Iwo also touched on a growing trend: Bring Your Own AI to Work. With 78% of people already using AI tools at work, there’s a growing practice of employees adopting AI tools on their own, sometimes without proper security measures in place. “This is definitely not something we recommend,” Iwo warned, underscoring the importance of structured, secure AI adoption within organizations.
Have you done an AI Hackathon?
Before wrapping up, Iwo shared an innovative idea for driving AI adoption—AI hackathons. “AI hackathons are not just for engineers,” he pointed out. These collaborative events bring teams together to brainstorm and prototype AI-driven solutions, helping organizations think creatively about how AI can solve business challenges. 🚀
Final Thoughts
Iwo closed the session with an important reminder: “AI is here to help us, not replace us.” He encouraged HR leaders to view AI as a tool that enhances human capabilities, rather than a threat to their jobs. “Managing AI adoption is a human task,” he said, emphasizing the need for leadership, communication, and empathy throughout the AI integration process.
Want to Test Your AI Maturity? As a final note, Iwo invited attendees to try the AI Maturity Index and gain personalized insights into their organization's readiness for AI. If you’d like to learn more about the research, you can reach out to Iwo on Linkedin.
TLDR; Key Takeaways for HR Leaders
📅 Don’t miss out on our next AI x HR Playbook mini-conference edition!
Have you conducted an AI Hackathon? |
🔓 Unlock Resource: Tools List: A Curated List of Recommended AI Tools for Talent Acquisition
This document puts together a list of industry leaders in AI-powered solutions for recruitment.
🙏 People Analytics | EngageWith
On EngageWith you can:
✅ View key metrics at a glance
✅ Slice and dice data for in-depth analytics
✅ Track and demonstrate engagement
Today’s HR Reads for You 📚️
That’s a wrap for today!
Did you enjoy today's issue? |
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