We’re now at the point where two thirds (68%) of HR professionals use AI at work, according to research findings published in January by the tech firm The Access Group. I wouldn’t be surprised if take-up was even higher among the wider, non-HR-specific workforce.
A similar proportion (67%) of people professionals reported that using AI had reduced their workload; half (49%) claimed it helped improve productivity.
These stats are unlikely to be new to you: the manifold benefits of AI are well known, and there are many AI evangelists among HR’s finest.
In an opinion piece supplied to HR magazine, consultant Sharon Sands said that AI will define successful HR functions by 2030, arguing that chief people officers (CPOs) must lead the way for AI adoption. But in my view, CPOs must also be aware of the risks of AI – not only to organisations and the future of work but its wider environmental impact too.
Purpose-driven leaders of the future will not forgive us for ignoring the environmental impact of AI. Employers may even struggle to retain the incoming workforce if they don’t align climate-conscious commitments with their use of AI, or at least acknowledge that they’re aware of the problem.
The facts on this issue are clearly described by my colleague, Dominic Bernard, in this edition’s cover story (available in our digital edition). HR has enough on its plate, I agree. But turning a blind eye to AI’s environmental impact isn’t a viable option for leaders wanting to ensure future organisational success.
Charissa King is editor of HR magazine
This article was published in the March/April 2025 edition of HR magazine.
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