AI is forcing HR to get the basics right
‘60% of CEOs believe their boards are rushing AI transformation’
BCG NEWSLETTER MAY 2026
I found this quote reassuring. You’d think from a lot of media reports that AI is all about speedy adoption. In HR we have to be more cautious.
The May newsletter from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shared this research about a disconnect between how the CEO and their Boards see AI. CEOs feel some Board members are moving too fast, jumping into tempting supplier visions when it’s too early to know whether they will deliver.
CEOs want realism: ‘Align on what AI can realistically deliver today—and where it can create longer-term value.’
However, they do agree on the importance of AI literacy:
‘Some 80% of CEOs and board members said that understanding how AI will reshape their industry is an essential requirement for board membership.’
Our own experience of the realities of AI for HR is showing us that one effective strategy is to implement from the bottom up. AI is forcing HR to get the basics right – data, processes, decision-making and accountability. This is valuable work while the real potential of AI settles into clarity.
If you’re a CPO who wants to share and explore your own AI journey, contact me to find out about our small roundtable on 11th June for senior HR leaders, with Jess Larsen who’s not only led AI transformations but also has been in the HRVP role.
