AI in HR, demystified

What good looks like, the questions HR asks, and how to buy well, beyond any one platform.

There is plenty of noise about AI in HR, and not much plain English. In our research with 414 HR leaders worldwide, only 3% say AI is fully embedded in their HR function. The biggest barrier isn't budget: 37% say it's risk, compliance and ethics. This session is for HR and HRIS leaders who want to move past the hype and decide, on evidence, where AI belongs in their function.

What we'll cover

• Where HR really stands with AI, using findings from our research, AI in HR: The Reality Check 2026
• What HR is actually asking: four common claims tested against 2,211 comments from HR and HRIS practitioners
• HR, amplified: creating capacity first, then value, and how people and AI agents work together
• The AI landscape beyond any one platform, from everyday assistants to agents and the data foundation underneath
• Twelve questions HR asks about AI, answered, including what Workday AI really does, what AI will cost and how to connect any AI to HR data safely
• Building the foundations and buying well: eliminate, simplify, then automate, plus ten questions to ask any vendor
• Live Q&A

What you'll take away

• A plain-English picture of what AI can and can't do for HR today
• Evidence from HR leaders on where AI pays off, and where they're choosing to keep it out
• Practical questions to test any AI vendor or platform
• A responsible place to start, whatever HR system you run

Your speakers

• 
  Christopher Healey, Founder and Group CEO, Cloud Assist Group. Christopher helps HR leaders across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific adopt AI in a way their people can trust. Before founding Cloud Assist Group he led global technology programmes at KPMG, Deloitte, PwC and Mercer.
• 
  Jobi Varghese, Executive Vice President, WD Assist. Jobi has more than 20 years in HR technology and has worked on Workday since 2012, leading Workday and HRIS consulting for organisations across North America.
• 
  Rob Vasavda, Managing Director, North America, WD Assist. Rob brings nearly 30 years in HR technology, including more than a decade implementing and running Workday at Accenture, PwC and Bloomberg BNA.

Places are limited to 50 to keep the Q&A useful. Bring your questions: you can put them in the Q&A box at any time. The session is recorded, and every registrant receives the recording afterwards.