HR Cannot Lead Gen AI Transformation Without Being a Gen AI User First
KPMG argues HR should be both thought leader and early adopter. Most HR functions are neither. The credibility gap is real and consequential.
Three Takeaways
- 1
HR loses the mandate to lead workforce transformation if it is not transforming its own work first.
- 2
Early adoption is not about tools. It is about understanding what transformation actually feels like.
- 3
The HR functions that will lead Gen AI enterprise transformation are the ones that have experienced it internally.
KPMG identifies HR as both a thought leader and an early adopter in Gen AI transformation. This is the right framing. It is also one of the harder mandates to execute well.
The Credibility Problem
HR can claim the thought leadership role. Organizational logic supports it. HR owns workforce strategy, capability development, and the accountability frameworks that governance requires. The mandate exists on paper.
But leadership roles require credibility. And credibility in Gen AI transformation requires demonstrated capability, not just organizational standing.
An HR function that is not using Gen AI in its own operations, that is still running manual processes it could automate, that is delivering insights from spreadsheets it could generate with AI tools, does not have the operational credibility to lead enterprise transformation.
This is not a hypothetical problem. It is the situation in most organizations.
What Early Adoption Requires
Early adoption is not about deploying a chatbot for HR service delivery. It is about HR leadership using Gen AI tools in their own work and developing genuine fluency with what these tools can and cannot do.
Genuine fluency changes how you lead transformation. You understand where the technology creates real leverage and where it produces convincing-sounding outputs that require careful human review. You understand what governance is actually necessary because you have seen firsthand what happens without it.
The Sequencing Implication
Organizations that want HR to lead Gen AI transformation should invest in HR Gen AI fluency before deploying enterprise transformation programs. This is a sequencing question with significant consequence.
HR that leads from experience leads credibly. HR that leads from theory leads ahead of its capability.
The Bottom Line
You cannot design what you have not built. HR needs to build first.
Source: KPMG, "HR holds the keys to creating value from generative AI," 2024
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. Readers should consult with qualified professionals before making any decisions based on this content.
About GeneralArc
GeneralArc is operating model architecture for the AI transition. Its methodology was built across more than two decades inside the operating models of JPMorgan Chase, McKinsey & Company, Nomura, and Deutsche Bank — leading change across 100,000+ employees.
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