A Real Partnership: Why HR and IT Should Work Together on an AI Strategy  

While the work that HR and IT professionals focus on might seem worlds apart, when it comes to AI, our two departments have more in common than you’d think. And we shared some key goals for introducing AI to our people: 

• Empower employees by improving their workflows and experiences 
• Maintain trust through transparency and responsible AI practices 
• Foster efficiency by automating repetitive tasks and refining business processes 

We’re a people-first organization, so we look at every decision and implementation through that lens. We’d made some investments in AI as early as 2018, but our companywide AI journey began more recently, when we began to realize how widespread these tools were becoming — and saw real opportunities for our people.  

We put together an AI steering committee — many but not all already familiar with generative AI — with the intention of making any decisions within a cross-functional team. Because we had some experience in using AI in our workplace, for us, a wider rollout was more of an exercise in change management. And our starting point was gathering feedback.  

Introducing AI Without Disruption  

Seamless AI adoption requires careful planning, and a phased approach minimizes disruption and builds confidence among employees. Some steps to consider include:  

• Introduce a pilot program: Start small by piloting the tool with a targeted user group. Use feedback from this group to identify friction points and refine the solution before scaling it to the entire organization.  
• Create meaningful feedback loops: Solicit and act on feedback early and often. For example, we initially used surveys and live Q&A sessions with pilot participants to uncover unexpected challenges. Transparent communication about how feedback impacts decisions encourages continued engagement.  
• Provide access to training and resources: Support AI rollouts with resources designed for all tech comfort levels. This can include beginner-friendly guides, live training, and a dedicated support team to answer questions.  

Listen to Your Workforce  

Employee feedback is the foundation of any successful AI implementation. And gathering insights into employee needs, pain points, and fears around AI can become the blueprint for IT teams to select and customize solutions that address those needs. 

Candidly, there was some fear among our employees, especially around whether or not AI would replace jobs. So, it was critical for us that we get a diverse perspective on the technology, not only from savvy users and early adopters, but those who initially said they wanted nothing to do with it. 

Rolling Out a Rightsized Solution in The Right Way  

How do you introduce an AI tool to your entire organization, like we did? Don’t make it a requirement. Instead, use AI to enhance the employee experience.  

We didn’t want to say to our team, “You have to use this HR bot or IGS ChatGPT.” But we did want to share how these tools could help with everyday work in every role.  

Our first large companywide rollout was with our IGS ChatGPT, which we built to ensure we had a secure space for people to play around and get comfortable with an AI tool. In tracking usage, we saw a perfect bell curve. We reached out to both those who seemed to have the tool open all the time and those who’d used it once and never again. We received great feedback, and we realized we needed additional workshops to share use cases with our people. From here, usage picked up, and we began to see momentum of people discussing how they were using the tool and how it benefited them. 

Our people often use AI — through Microsoft Copilot, which we have integrated into Microsoft Teams — to review transcripts of the meetings they can’t make. We’ve used it, too, to update hundreds of job descriptions during a recent large-scale compensation project. And we’ve been fine with our people using it for more personal use — planning vacation itineraries, for example — to help them get comfortable with the tool.  

All this ideating, feedback gathering, and implementation has been effective for us because HR and IT partnered to gather insights and translate them into scalable solutions. 

Equal Access: Making AI Available to Everyone in Your Organization  

How we’ve rolled out AI at IGS is directly tied to our values.  

One thing we’re really passionate about — outside all the ways AI can help our people in their daily work — is making sure we have equitable access to AI solutions. This was at the forefront of the decision to launch a private-label ChatGPT solution, because we wanted to make sure that the tool was available to anyone who wants to use it. When you think about when personal computers were first introduced in the workplace, only the top 10 or 20 percent of employees had access. This created a digital divide. 

To ensure equitable access to AI, we focused on the employee experience rather than just the return on investment (ROI). While there is a time for ROI, we understood that we had to move quickly here to ensure our team members would be set up for success. 

We feel it’s important to find ways to upscale our team — and while AI isn't going to replace anyone’s role in the future, someone who’s proficient with AI has an edge. We don’t want any of our team to be left behind.  

Ensuring Scalability and Governance  

 A common challenge with AI adoption is anticipating issues such as compliance, security, and resistance to change. This is where HR and IT collaborations truly shine. Here are important steps to consider:  

• Vetting tools through dual lenses: When IT evaluates AI tools, they focus on security risks, technical compatibility, and scalability. HR, on the other hand, examines these tools from a people-centered perspective, ensuring they align with organizational values like inclusion. For example, HR plays a critical role in vetting recruitment AI tools to ensure algorithms don’t unintentionally reinforce bias. At IGS, this meant ensuring some job descriptions are free of unnecessary criteria, like degree requirements, or testing algorithms for fairness in candidate selection. Together, HR and IT ensure AI tools are both technically reliable and ethically sound. 
• Establish an oversight committee: Organizations should establish a committee with representatives from HR, IT, and other stakeholders to ensure governance with any AI solutions being used in the workplace. This multidisciplinary approach ensures accountability and transparency, keeping AI deployments aligned with company standards.  
• Build trust through communication: Transparency is a key element of trust, and AI implementations are no exception. Employees need to know how AI tools work, why they’re being introduced, and how their feedback will shape the process. HR can play a vital role in communicating these messages clearly and consistently, with support from IT.  

Empowering Organizations with Collaborative AI