Embracing AI Fluency in HR
In a recent episode of Transformation Realness, host Kyle Lagunas sat down with Sarika Lamont, a leading voice in HR transformation. Lamont, who is transitioning from her role as Chief People Officer at Vidyard to a new position at Technomile, shared her insights on the crucial role of AI fluency in HR. She emphasized the importance of moving beyond basic literacy to fluency, where HR professionals not only understand AI tools but use them as co-pilots in their work. "Fluency doesn't happen, obviously, right away. It's like as you're starting to dabble in these tools and learn more and get more curious, fluency eventually becomes the ability to actually use them," Lamont explained. > Fluency doesn't happen, obviously, right away. It's like as you're starting to dabble in these tools and learn more and get more curious, fluency eventually becomes the ability to actually use them. — Sarika Lamont
HR's Role in AI Transformation
Lamont boldly asserts that HR should own AI transformation initiatives, provided the right leadership is in place. Her experience at Vidyard demonstrated that a strong mandate from top leadership is essential. "It is not a technology deployment. That's not what AI transformation is. It is a cultural, it's behavior, it's human behaviors," she stated, underscoring the need for HR to lead cultural and behavioral changes within organizations.
Building Trust Through Iteration
One of the key strategies Lamont discussed was the iterative approach to developing competency frameworks in collaboration with teams. By engaging with employees, particularly engineers, in focus groups and feedback sessions, she was able to build trust and drive better outcomes. "What they're valuing is like, you're listening to us on the journey and you're really hearing us and trying to solve for what we think our pain points are," Lamont noted.
The Future of HR in AI
As Lamont moves to her new role, she remains committed to the idea that AI transformation must be a holistic effort, deeply integrated into the organization's culture. For HR leaders looking to navigate this new landscape, she advises starting with small, impactful use cases to demonstrate value and build momentum. "Find a use case, find something that's highly administrative in nature in a process or whatnot, and then like get your team in the room or on the virtual room, whatever it is, and like redesign what that process could look like," she suggested.
Lamont's insights provide a compelling vision for how HR can drive meaningful change in the AI era, emphasizing that with the right approach, AI can be a powerful tool for innovation and growth.
