Tech | Microsoft exec: 'HR has five years to embrace AI'

AI has swiftly become one of the most threatening buzzwords in the workplace.

It’s seen by many workers to be some form of seemingly disembodied phantom hivemind with the ability to lay waste to nearly every industry, and whilst many jobs have indeed suffered reductions in human involvement due to the progression of AI technology, a lot more have experienced drastic improvements in productivity and efficiency as professionals learn to live with AI, instead of railing against it.

Yet there are still many misconceptions around the way that AI functions, and what its purpose will be in the workplace of the future. Even HR seems unsure about how the technology can be utilised, despite being an otherwise technologically driven sector. To dispel the myths and set the record straight, HR Grapevine spoke with Microsoft UK’s Chief Operating Officer Clare Barclay. 

Hi Clare, thanks for speaking with us. Can you tell us briefly how you define AI?