George Lucas recently said resistance to new technology was “very much like sitting here saying: ‘Well, I believe the horse and the buggy is really where it’s at. These cars, they break down, they need gas, there’s all kinds of problems with them and pretty soon they’ll be making them into tanks, and then they’ll be killing people. It’s terrible.’” His point was that every new technology brings fear as well as possibility.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing HR, from screening candidates to analysing the workforce. It can save time and give useful insights, but it also brings concerns around bias, transparency, and legal risk.
The Mata v. Avianca case showed what can happen when people rely on AI without checking its output. The takeaway is simple: professionals are still responsible for making sure AI-generated work is accurate.
The same goes for HR. If AI is used to shortlist candidates, assess performance, or suggest redundancies without proper review, the consequences can be serious. Recent claims against Meta and Workday show just how closely AI in employment decisions is being watched.
For HR, the message is straightforward: AI should help with decisions, not make them on its own.
Organisations should make sure that:
- Humans stay involved in key decisions.
- AI outputs are checked before any action is taken.
- Systems are tested for bias and accuracy.
- Data is used transparently and securely.
- HR teams are trained to use AI responsibly.
AI can make HR more efficient, but it will never replace empathy, judgement, or ethical leadership. The best organisations will use it with clear human oversight.
AI should be the assistant, not the authority.
