Generative AI: How ChatGPT can benefit HR

Uma Ganesh | February 20, 2023 |

HR managers will need to learn to co-exist with such AI tools

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm – within the first week of its official release it had over a million users and the adoption rate is galloping since then. Already several hundred startups have been set up to build applications around ChatGPT. No domain or activity is going to be left untouched by ChatGPT or such generational AI tools in the coming days.

What would be the likely impact on HR function? It should be recognised that while such AI tools would bring about transformational changes, the full implications would be realised as time goes by. HR policies which take several days and efforts to be created or updated can be taken over by ChatGPT which can produce an efficient output based on a lot of inputs available on the internet.

Employee queries being answered through human interface or via chatbots are the next candidates for being replaced with ChatGPT as such tools can be very efficiently handle all queries in human-like fashion and when it is unable to provide perfect answers, reach out to the expert who can. Not only does this reduce the cost and effort needed to respond to employee queries but by addressing the queries in intelligent ways, it enhances employee engagement because of the personalised approach to responses. Recruitment strategy can be drawn up with great precision with the help of ChatGPT and job descriptions also can be developed by these tools. It can even identify list of potential candidates to recruit and provide unbiased views about their likely success and thus aid in decision making on key hires.

ChatGPT-like tools could play the role of an assistant effectively by carrying out data analytics and putting together presentations as required. Social listening tools can be integrated with the generative AI tools. HR managers could get alerted about the likely problems arising out of team dynamics, mental state of individuals or ineffective supervisors. Compliances to labour laws could be highlighted and HR managers could be supported for adherence on timelines and completeness. It could also help HR managers in their core function of performance management process that could be completed devoid of any biases.

Despite the possible ways in which generative AI could transform HR functioning, human inputs are essential for generative AI tools to be trained. The tools are expensive to build and are not yet capable of handling complicated situations that require human judgement or empathy. There are also the ethical implications and risks associated with likely misuse and data security issues.

Hence, although the AI tools can change work processes and work definition, HR managers need to carefully experiment by selecting mundane repetitive tasks to be assigned to the AI tools. Strategic functioning should be retained for manual interventions augmented by AI tools. ChatGPT will not replace the HR managers but HR managers need to learn to co-exist with such tools.

Originally appeared in Financial Express