At Ashland, Ky.-based UK King’s Daughters Medical Center, AI is so ingrained in the human resources culture that it has a nickname.
“We have a nickname for ChatGPT — we call it ‘Sally,'” Jamie Parsons, vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer, told Becker’s. “So, anytime someone says, ‘Well, Sally did that,’ we all know internally that means ChatGPT. It’s really pushed my team to use tools they hadn’t embraced in the past.”
This anecdote reflects a broader trend: AI is no longer just a tool for efficiency. HR leaders say it’s unlocking hidden potential in their data, surfacing new insights, and becoming a fully embedded part of their organizational culture. A 2024 Mercer survey of HR leaders from 183 global companies across 14 industries found that 84% expect HR to become more automated and technology-enabled — a movement echoed by the leaders Becker’s interviewed.
Mario Ellis, chief human resources officer at South Bend, Ind.-based Beacon Health System, said this evolution includes greater alignment between the HR team and the organization’s broader mission and vision.
“Our CEO, Kreg Gruber, has been encouraging the organization to embrace technology — especially AI — from the very beginning,” Mr. Ellis said. “We know it’s going to significantly influence how we do work and how work is presented.
“For my HR team, there are a few things we’ve embraced: first, aligning with the CEO’s vision, and second, supporting our IT department. Our chief digital information technology officer has been leading advancements with our platforms, including our employee health record. Even with our administrative systems, we’re making sure AI is embedded where possible. The HR team is partnering with that vision.”
Within HR, Beacon is also examining whether partners or certain technologies offer AI capabilities — and if they do, making those capabilities more useful for workers. The health system is also supporting AI training across the organization.
“We have an administrative fellow who created an AI knowledge hub and launched training for leaders on using AI in day-to-day work. She’s recorded sessions, and we’ve turned them into computer-based learning modules on AI,” said Mr. Ellis.
An equally important focus: integrating people and AI.
“We’re starting to look at what future jobs might look like — how AI could reshape traditional roles,” he said. “Our HR business partners and managers are beginning to have those conversations with leaders, but we know this will become a standard part of our work moving forward.”
While not hugely unexpected, Mr. Ellis said it’s been interesting to see how deeply AI can embed into HR workflows — particularly through existing vendor relationships.
“We’re starting to talk with our current vendors about how to incorporate AI into their applications and services to improve our workloads and performance,” he said. “And I’ve noticed that some of our newer leaders are more tech-savvy and engaged in this space. They’re giving their teams the green light to explore AI more actively and to think about how we can use it differently. So, while I wouldn’t say there have been big surprises, there’s definitely a greater openness to using AI in our day-to-day HR operations.”
Mr. Parsons at King’s Daughters echoed this openness, noting that AI is helping HR shift to more data-driven decision-making — particularly in terms of identifying burnout risks and patterns in workforce trends.
“I’ve been a CHRO for over 30 years now. The first 10 were with HCA [Healthcare], so I got exposure to a lot of data early in my career. But AI has brought it to the forefront for my team in a new way,” he said. “Before, we looked at static reports — turnover, engagement scores, candidate pipelines. Now, those reports feel like living documents. They’re revealing patterns and root causes we hadn’t noticed before.”
AI has also helped identify correlations between shift patterns and burnout risk — a particularly relevant finding for Mr. Parsons, who is completing a dissertation focused on registered nurse burnout.
“Our HR discussions now start with, ‘What does the data tell us?’ In the past, HR was more about, ‘Here’s what I think.’ That shift in focus has been significant.”
From a hiring standpoint, King’s Daughters is using generative AI to streamline recruitment.
“When you take a job description and pair it against 10,000 applications, AI makes that process a lot easier,” Mr. Parsons said.
Julie Ward, EdD, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Midland-based MyMichigan Health, offered a broader reminder about the human element of her work as AI use continues throughout HR teams.
“AI can spot a drop in productivity, but only an empathetic manager-employee conversation can uncover the ‘why’ and provide the necessary psychological safety and support,” she told Becker’s. “This has shifted the HR role from administrative gatekeeping to more strategic, high-value activities like coaching managers, providing personalized support, and building a stronger culture.
“It is important for us to remember that it needs to be a balance, and the human element is essential when leading people.”
