John Sumser

Navigating the Maze John Sumser

This is a guide for buyers of intelligent tools in HR Technology. It is the second annual HRExaminer report on the state of 'AI' in HR Technology. It builds on the work and definitions in the initial study. 'AI' is in quotes because, in spite of the hype, there is no 'AI' to be found anywhere in the industry. Still. There are tons of really interesting new intelligent tools that feature massive information processing, machine learning (ML), data models, natural language processing (NLP), algorithms, decision trees, and regression analyses. They do amazing things that were not possible even five years ago. There is also a lot of progress to report. The number of companies producing intelligent tools exploded. There are 700% more companies building products and shipping marketing emails than there were when reported a year ago. RECOMMENDATION: I love the clarity of thinking, the understandable metaphors, and the sense-making throughout the report. Sumser cuts through the hype and jargon, offering the upside potential but relentlessly getting down to what it means for the buyers, ".. the machines are beginning to collect data unattended and return opinions." So, we humans need to get better at, "...training, managing, and disagreeing with our increasingly intelligent machines."As a result, it's a fun read. The first wave of intelligent tools "...are best understood as 'the end of stupid' rather than 'the beginning of smart'. The current technology cannot replace any level of decision making that requires nuance or judgment. But, machines will provide members of the HR team ever increasing amounts of input into the decisions they do make."And this gem, "There is good reason to believe that current ideas of data models inhibit continuous improvement.... Machine decision inputs are always biased towards the goal. Human decisions are more open to unanticipated variables."The report dives deep but also steps back to frame issues in the larger context, revealing what's often missing in these conversations; unintended consequences, an overview of the players, the maintenance and integration concerns, ethical considerations, and the decision frameworks - "ROI is the wrong premise for purchasing."This should be required reading, not just in business school, but in basic HR certification training. Illiteracy in the use of these emerging tools poses a major risk to employers. - Bob Corlett, president, Staffing Advisors