This week SAP SuccessFactors announced the acquisition of SmartRecruiters, one of the fastest-growing talent acquisition platforms. This is much more than a technology deal: it demonstrates the value of talent and the massive redefinition of “applicant tracking systems” taking place today. While the deal is not final and details are yet to come, I highlight the real implications of this acquisition and why SAP will see a lot of value out of this deal. Stay tuned for more from us about SAP coming this Fall, and our new “Revolution in Talent Acquisition” research will be launched in September. Additional Information Research Shows It’s Time To Reinvent Talent Acquisition Why Do Companies Hire Too Many People? The Dynamic Organization: How To Design For Growth  

This week the WSJ highlighted the latest trends. CEOs proudly announcing layoffs and hiring freezes, only to see their stock price go up in celebration. The AI Superworker era has arrived, and companies are now plowing ahead with automation-induced workforce reductions. All this is not as simple as it sounds. AI budgets are skyrocketing (EY survey shows that 21% of large companies are spending more than $10M already on AI agents), well before the productivity benefits have occurred. So while many great AI use-cases exist, a lot of the headcount cuts are just budget-reallocation from labor to capital, with hopes for productivity to come. I have no concerns that massive Superworker productivity is coming, but the process is spotty, messy, and uneven. So in this podcast I discuss our newest research on AI transformation and give you some perspectives on all these announcements. A few nuggets to think about: The economy is slowing, so most headcount freezes are not only AI automation bets, they’re also insurance against a slowdown Employees and mid-level managers are fearful, causing friction and complexity in automation AI strategies that ask “employees to figure out how to become more productive” have some but limited impact, while strategic projects are working better The HR focus on “task analysis” is interesting and useful, but not the optimum approach Companies are starting to get real about AI spending, so the “blank checkbook” to buy enterprise AI is slowing Companies that lay people off have plenty of other issues to consider, including brand, culture, and long term growth. Additional Information The Rise of The Superworker: AI Empowers Workers The Four “New SoftSkills” We Need To Thrive In The Age of AI A Revolution in Corporate Learning: Save Millions with AI-Native Learning Get Galileo®, The AI Agent Exclusively Designed for Everything HR  

After many dozens of conversations with companies and AI vendors about AI transforming work, I’m left with one burning question. If we actually succeed in automating all our work tasks, data analysis, coding, and content generation, are these systems truly able to replace humans? I”m left with a very simple answer: NO. And the reason for this is not that AI won’t keep getting “smarter,” it’s the fact that we, as human organic animals, posses a magical power of intuition, largely fueled by our emotions. And emotions are built on millions of years of adaptation, genetics, and personal experiences – attributes that AI simply does not have. My argument, as you’ll hear in this podcast, is that these emotions make up our intuitive decision-making power. And this very human part of our intelligence is what makes companies, teams, and individuals succeed. No matter how “superintelligent” the AI becomes, I advocate that human emotions and strong intuition is still the most powerful form of “intelligence” we have. I look forward to talking with each of you about this idea, because it’s an important part of the AI transformations in our lives, careers, and companies. Additional Ideas The Six Major Theories Of Emotion The Rise of The Superworker My Fav Website about Happiness, GGSC The Gene: An Intimate History, by Siddartha Mukhergee      

Yesterday the White House released The American AI Action Plan, a 28-page policy document which covers many of the most important national (and global issues) we face in the new world of AI. As I briefly discuss today, there are many fantastic policy positions in here (a few odd ones, but they’ll be worked out over time) and the bottom line is that the US Federal Government now has a deep understanding of AI technology, markets, businesses, and the impact on jobs and the workforce. We will be talking more with the Department of Labor and sharing some of the more important initiatives in workforce skilling, career enablement, and support soon. Lots more to discuss here, so I’ll make sure we keep you up to speed as more policy and important regulatory changes take place. For those of you most interested in AI’s impact on jobs, careers, and your workforce, please read “The Rise of the Superworker” to get a good perspective on the future of work in this new AI era. Additional Information Why AI Harm To Jobs and Humanity are Vastly Over-Hyped Prompting is Programming: We’re All Software Engineers Now! No, Entry Level Jobs Are Not Going Away. The Four “New SoftSkills” We Need To Thrive In The Age of AI Get Galileo®, The AI Agent Exclusively Designed for Everything HR

One of the most fundamental issues in business is “how we make decisions.” Should top management make all the decisions? Or should we let front-line staff collaborate and weigh in on company strategies. Well in the political sphere, we’re testing these two models out in real time. And as I discuss, the “democratic” model leads to economies with higher levels of growth and energy, under most conditions. In this podcast I explain the pros and cons of both approaches, explain what “employee activation” is all about, and challenge you to think about this topic in your daily work. Are you one to decide and tell other what to do? Or are you one to wait, listen, and consolidate ideas before making the call? As we prepare to launch Galileo for Managers, I wanted to help you think through this important lesson in empowerment and decision-making, one which we all face frequently in our work lives, political lives, and even family. Additional Information Citizenship At Work: Dealing With Politics Inside and Outside The Company Irresistible Leadership: Explained Work in the AI Age:  “The Rise Of The Superworker” Get Galileo®! The AI Agent Exclusively Designed for Everything HR! Galileo Learn: More than 700 Courses in all areas of HR, AI, HR Tech, and Leadership  

Now that everyone is deep into AI transformation and flooded with personal productivity tools, it’s time to take a step back and consider “what new capabilities (not skills) do we need to thrive here?” Well after 60+ interviews and discussions with hundreds of companies so far, I want to share the four “big things” that drive success. These are the essential new skills we need as a Superworker, and also lead to our new roles as Supermanagers. They essentially boil down to: Become a builder or creator, not just a doer Challenge the dogma, rethink work from first principles, fall in love with the problem Be curious about why and how things work, and why they don’t Take on the role of Supermanager, encouraging others to invent, not just do. In the podcast I explain them in more detail, and give you many examples you can learn from. Additional Information Read “The Rise Of The Superworker” for more detail. Download the Rise of the Superworker report.

This week Lightcast, one of the largest providers of people, jobs, and labor market data, acquired Rhetorik, a leading data collection company. Since this space has become highly strategic and ever-more essential to HR leaders (and it’s just getting more important with AI), I decided to try to explain the space. In this podcast I explain the difference between data collection companies, data enrichment companies, and talent intelligence companies. As you’ll see this is a massive multi-billion dollar space, and the quality of this data is now vitally important to your company’s recruiting, hiring, internal development, and planning strategies. The market for job and skills data is also collapsing with the salary data market, which is disrupting salary surveys. And now these companies are combining this data with real-time business information, economic data, and highly proprietary company intelligence. So there’s a lot going on, and it’s important for all HR, marketing, and business leaders to understand it. More to come on this topic, listen up and read our new research on this space, as well as our industry by industry Global Workforce Intelligence studies, all available in Galileo. Additional Information People Data For Sale: How The Talent Intelligence Market Works

This week I had a variety of meetings with companies and looked at some new research on the impact of AI in the workplace. Despite all the positive things going on in the economy, a strong signal came back about fear. A large percentage of workers are fearful for their jobs and the impact of AI, so I unpacked the topic this week. (Note: this podcast was recorded on a long walk so it’s slightly warbly but I cleaned it up pretty well.) I know you’re all going through change and AI transformation work right now, so let us know if we can help – the issues in this podcast are important ones to deal with as you reorganize, push, and encourage people to move faster in the direction of AI. Some Interesting Reading From “The Information” this week, discussing Meta’s AI team. “In his essay, Blankevoort wrote that “Meta has a culture of fear,” created in part by its performance review system and rolling layoffs. Meta in February laid off 5% of its staff, or about 3,600 people, and said those cuts were based on performance. The company also said at the time that it might use future performance reviews to cut low performers as well.” “Instead of being motivated by our mission, or an aspiration to build something great, many people I’ve talked to are motivated by the fear of getting fired,” Blankevoort wrote. “This attitude runs through the company like a metastatic cancer.” It has led to a culture of “every person for themselves,” as well as “land-grabbing, project-sniping, stealing work,” he added. Prompting is Programming: We’re All Software Engineers Now!  

One of the most explosive changes in our new world of AI is this: every one of us can now “program” our AI assistants as if we were engineers. In other words, the “prompts” we conceive and use as queries are actually instructions, so we, as non-engineers (I am an engineer, but long ago), can now “program” and direct our AI friends to do what we want. Not only is this an enormous shift in empowerment (yes, you’re a Superworker), it also lets us create, innovate, and share our “creations” with others. It’s not unlike the amazing birth of spreadsheets and macros that started in 1981 with spreadsheets. You, as a business person, can “create things” that solve problems, improve productivity, and ultimately become complex systems for your team. For AI vendors, this shift means you’re no longer just building applications, you’re also building tools – tools for your customers to “fall in love with the problem” and extend your product to meet their personal needs. Galileo®, our AI platform for HR, is fueled with 300+ “prompts” which are essentially mini apps. You can use these prompts to build and extend Galileo to do more and more for your job and your company. The opportunities are endless, and this is just beginning! Additional Information Galileo®, the AI Platform for HR (visit the Success Center for videos) OpenAI’s Prompt Engineering guidelines Google’s Prompt Engineering guidelines  

Max Legardez Coquin is one of the most fascinating entrepreneurs I’ve met. His new company, Maki People, is likely to revolutionize talent acquisition, and then revolutionize much of talent management. In this interview I ask Max to explain his fascinating background and how he sees AI Agents revolutionizing the entire process of screening, assessment, and talent management. Maki People uses a whole new science, which I’d call “conversational skills assessment,” to screen and assess candidates at a scale and accuracy I’ve never seen before. His clients include H&M, Foundever, BNP Paribas, Deloitte, Cap Gemini, Nestle (Nespresso), and many more. In this conversation I ask Max to explain the vision and secrets to his pioneering success, and his view of the new AI Architecture I discussed last week. You should NOT miss this episode. Additional Information How WPP, The World’s Leading Ad Agency, Is Transforming Itself With AI (pod) AI Harm To Jobs and Humanity are Vastly Over-Hyped AI Pacesetters: Six Secrets of The Superworker Company Get Galileo, The AI Agent Designed Exclusively for HR and Leadership  

In this episode I discuss our findings on AI systems architectures, and how they are going to completely change our HR Technology stack. As you’ll hear, I’m not predicting a quick disruption of $50+ billion in corporate software, but over the next decade we will see a quantum shift. (Quantum meaning “from A to B” not a gradual transformation.) Listen in and you’ll see how relevant this is to your own HR Tech and systems decisions, your AI adoption and transformation strategy, and your vendor analysis as you look for tools and platforms. And for those of you driving AI transformation in HR, you’ll hear about how to think of AI as a “creator platform” not just a new set of apps and agents. I also discuss the upcoming Venus release of Galileo and how it supports this architecture and extends our AI leadership into management development and leadership support. Takeaways AI is fundamentally changing how we interact with technology. The cloud has enabled rapid application deployment and integration. AI eliminates the need for traditional user interfaces. New AI architectures allow for decentralized processing. Professionals are now empowered to build their own applications. AI tools will become ubiquitous in the workplace, driving an internal creator economy. Learning management will evolve with AI integration. The next generation of AI companies will emerge from current disruptions. Additional Information The L&D Revolution: Docebo Goes AI-Native, Sana Expands, What Do You Do? The Workday Economy – As AI Disrupts, A New Strategy Emerges Yes, HR Organizations Will (Partially) Be Replaced by AI, And That’s Good

This week we finished a series of events in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai and met with more than 100 company HR leaders. In today’s podcast I discuss the business and HR issues these companies face and more significantly give perspectives on the management culture in these fast-growing companies. We discuss AI transformation in detail and I also explain why the “mass layoffs” idea around AI is misleading and incorrect, and give you my perspective on why Human Intelligence is and will always be far more sophisticated and advanced than AI. This was a continuous point of discussion and you’ll hear my explanation. I think it’s important to understand the richness and purposeful nature of business and economic growth in these countries, so listen this to get a perspective on the exciting positive things going on in the region. Two important research studies to read: The Revolution in L&D, and our new Pacesetters in the AI Era: Secrets of Superworker Companies. Note: the US attack on Iran actually took place just as I was flying home, so these perspectives focus on the peaceful economic activities of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, not the political issues between US, Israel, and Iran. Chapters: 00:00 Exploring the Middle East’s Economic Growth 06:28 Cultural Insights and Relationship Dynamics 09:16 AI’s Role in Workforce Transformation 12:47 The Future of Learning and Development 15:40 AI’s Impact on HR and Organizational Structure 21:23 The Evolution of Technology in HR 22:44 The Resilience of the Human Spirit Additional Resources No, Entry Level Jobs Are Not Going Away. Yes, HR Organizations Will (Partially) Be Replaced by AI, And That’s Good Galileo Learn – A Revolutionary Approach To Corporate Learning It’s Time for an L&D Revolution: The AI Era Arrives (Essential research)  

New research shows a level of pessimism we haven’t seen in a long time. While there are many reasons for this (politics, climate, economy, AI fears), we all need to do something about it. In this podcast I share the research and give you five important steps you can take to avoid, reduce, and eliminate pessimism at work. (Optimism, certainty, growth, citizenship, and empathy.) This framework will give you sound information for your own life at work, your role as a leader, and your investments in leadership development and management coaching. I also talk about our research on Trust, and the role trust plays in employee optimism. I also discuss “The Unquenchable Power of The Human Spirit,” an idea I discuss in Irresistible, which will help you move into an optimistic view of life, work, and business. Takeaways The rise of pessimism is a significant trend in the workforce. (64% on average) Realistic optimism is possible in any situation. We can reduce uncertainty through sound leadership. It’s ok to accept things that you cannot change. Citizenship as a company and individual creates positive energy. Growth and development is fuel for positive thinking and engagement. Health, sleep, exercise, nature, and relationships are your personal fuel. Why optimism is central to HR’s role and our job. Research on Pessimism and Employee Engagement MeQuilibrium State of Workforce, Summer 2025 U.S. Employee Engagement Sinks to 10-Year Low (Gallup) Citizenship At Work: Dealing With Politics Inside and Outside The Company (podcast) Corporate Citizenship Redefined: Trust, Inclusion, and Responsibility  

Suzanne McGovern, CHRO of Ipsy, has many years of experience in consulting, HR, DEI, and business growth (PwC, IBM, Splunk) and now leads HR for a billion dollar beauty company. In this thought-proving interview, Suzanne explains how the CHRO role has now become an “outside-in” C-level role and how complex and “mission-centric” the CHRO role can be. Suzanne also believes and explains how consulting experience is so important in the CHRO position, the importance of recruitment, hybrid work, and her perspectives on the role of AI. Additional Information The CHRO Insights Initiative Why Is It So Hard To Be A Chief HR Officer (CHRO)? Learn about Galileo, the World’s AI Expert Assistant for HR Special Josh Bersin Academy Course: AI in HR (highly acclaimed)  

This week I summarize my Irresistible Keynote and explain the five keys to building an AI-powered Superworker company. And as you’ll hear, they revolve around the value of people, not the value of technology. It’s funny how we think AI is “different” and we personify it. It’s basically a tech platform, and if you think about it that way you’ll be much better off. Additional Information No, Entry Level Jobs Are Not Going Away Why AI Is A Job Creator, Not A Job Destroyer Reinvent your Career: Galileo Learn, the AI Learning Academy for HR The Revolution in L&D    

Anshul Sheopuri, Executive Vice President, People Operations & Insights, Mastercard, talks with Kathi Enderes about the company’s method for using AI in HR. From Build vs Buy decisions and approaches to govern the roll-out of AI to specific examples of use cases, he explains how to use AI strategically across a fast-growing, tech-first company at the forefront of AI innovation—and he gives tips on how to get started. Additional Information Artificial Intelligence in HR: Certificate Course in Galileo Learn The End of HR As We Know It? AI Is Starting To Change Everything. The Rise of the Superworker: Understanding The Deep Impact of AI on Business At the inflection of AI and HR: How we’re equipping employees for the AI era (by Mastercard)

This is a fascinating conversation with Josh Newman, the Global Head of People Strategy & Experience, at WPP. WPP, the world’s leading advertising agency, has around 100,000 employees and a fascinating agency-specific organization around the world. Josh explains the business and operating model for WPP, and how it became an $8.1 Billion market cap business. Over the last year WPP’s board wanted to look at the workforce and find ways to improve productivity (“the Workforce Intelligence Project”). Josh explains how WPP took this sprawling, high-performance company and developed an enterprise-wide “work-design”, using its own AI and help from a new vendor Reejig, to understand what everyone was doing. This effort enabled WPP to radically simplify its job families and prepare the jobs and roles for the company’s new AI platform, WPP Open. (As you’ll hear, WPP went from 60,000 job titles to fewer than 600 as the company streamlines operations for its new AI platform WPP Open.) This is work simplification at massive scale. This kind of work is now essential to every company as we look for ways to embrace AI. And as you’ll hear, the WPP Workforce Intelligence project has helped people find new jobs, advance their careers, and better pinpoint HR investments in the right place. The end result will be a company with higher growth, profitability, innovation, and client service. If you’re a business leader, HR professional, consultant, or CEO you should listen to this discussion. Josh describes precisely how they accomplished this transformation and explains how AI is “preparing WPP for AI.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to WPP and Its Role in the Future of Work 05:36 Workforce Intelligence and Job Redesign Project 10:23 Leveraging AI for Job Architecture and Efficiency 15:05 Mapping Roles and Tasks for Enhanced Productivity 20:18 The Concept of M-Shaped Workers 25:11 Validating New Job Structures and Roles 30:19 Business-Driven Workforce Intelligence and Its Impact 35:06 Future-Proofing Organizations Through Continuous Learning Additional Information The Rise of the Superworker: Designing You Company for AI The End of HR As We Know It? AI Is Starting To Change Everything. Galileo Learn: The AI Professional Development Academy for Leaders  

Recent comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei claims that we’ll have a “white collar bloodbath” in jobs and 50% of jobs are going away, leading to 20% unemployment. I believe this is completely incorrect, and in this podcast I explain why. Tech leaders may have a distorted perspective because so much of their energies go into pure software development – there’s a much bigger positive effect happening. (The Superworker effect.) Background Why Entry Level Jobs Are Not Going Away The Rise Of The Superworker Axios story

This week I discuss Cornerstone Galaxy, the new, integrated version of Cornerstone, which includes Skyhive, Edcast, Grovo, Tailspin, and other technologies built in. As you’ll hear, Cornerstone is the largest enterprise learning platform company in the world and they’re getting very aggressive with bundling, pricing, and features. At the same time I discuss the role of other competitors such as Docebo, Oracle, Workday, SAP, and the role of Sana and Galileo Learn (our new offering). There’s lots more to discuss, please call us if you’d like help with your LMS | enterprise learning strategy and I urge to read our Revolution in Corporate Learning comprehensive study on how AI can totally reinvent your corporate learning, enablement, and skills strategy. Additional Information The Revolution in Corporate Learning (research report) Galileo Learn – A Revolutionary Approach To Corporate Learning

This is a fascinating and essential podcast about leadership, AI, HR, and business transformation, featuring Tanuj Kapilashrami, the CHRO and Chief Strategy Officer of Standard Chartered. In this conversation, Tanuj talks about the strategic direction of Standard Chartered Bank, her role as Chief Strategy and Talent Officer, and the importance of aligning organizational capabilities with business strategy. She discusses the transformation of work processes, the integration of AI, and the evolving role of HR in the banking sector. Tanuj explains the role of job architecture and the importance of skills in driving organizational success, and she also clearly explains the future role of the CHRO. The CHRO role has risen tremendously in the last two decades. Tanuj is an inspirational example of a CHRO who has taken her experience in all areas of human capital management to become a powerful chief strategy officer, a career transition which will become much more common in the future. You will also hear how Tanuj views the AI transformation and how she puts a clear business focus on the AI strategy, moving far beyond AI as a tool to streamline HR. (Listen to her discussion about AI in performance management and how the “AI Sandpit” works at Standard Chartered.) Listen also to Tanuj’s focus on “plumbing,” as the foundation for business growth and transformation. Takeaways Standard Chartered is a cross-border bank focused on emerging markets. The role of Chief Strategy and Talent Officer is crucial for aligning strategy with capabilities. Transformation should be a core part of the organizational DNA. Skills development must be integrated into work redesign. AI can enhance productivity across various job types. Job architecture needs to evolve with changing business needs. A centralized approach to AI strategy is essential for scalability. HR must embrace technology to remain relevant. Understanding the operational aspects of HR is critical for strategic success. Curiosity and continuous learning are vital for HR leaders. Sound Bites “Transformation is such an abused word.” “Skills come in at a work redesign level.” “Humans will lose out to other humans who use machines.” “AI cannot be empathetic as humans can be.” “Get comfortable as a team playing in the sand pit.” “It’s the plumbing that matters.” Chapters 00:00 Overview of Standard Chartered Bank 02:49 The Role of Chief Strategy and Talent Officer 05:52 Aligning Strategy with Organizational Capabilities 08:46 Transforming Work Processes and Skills 12:07 Navigating Job Architecture and AI Integration 14:56 AI Strategy and Implementation in Banking 17:54 The Future of HR in the Age of AI 21:13 Advice for Aspiring CHROs Additional Information Yes, HR Organizations Will (Partially) Be Replaced by AI, And That’s Good The White Collar Recession Is Real: What Should We Do About It? The Rise of the Superworker: Reinventing Jobs, Careers, and Organizations