In this returning episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-host Luke Carignan sits down with Jeff Knapp, for a timely and candid conversation about artificial intelligence, workforce transformation, and what it truly means to lead with humanity in an age of rapid automation.

Jeff brings a rare and powerful perspective to the discussion. With a career spanning roles at Aramark, Walgreens, PE-backed organizations, nonprofits, and large public companies, Jeff frames AI not as a threat to HR, but as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to refocus the profession on what humans do best.

Key Themes Explored:

• AI in Human Resources: Why generative and agentic AI are best used to eliminate repetitive, transactional tasks so HR leaders can focus on strategy, leadership development, and culture.
• From Deskilling to Reskilling: Jeff challenges the fear-based narrative around AI, arguing instead that HR is entering a reskilling era that demands curiosity, adaptability, and courage.
• The New Role of the CHRO: Today’s HR leaders must be part strategist, part technologist, and fully human. Jeff explains why fluency in AI, data, and change management is now essential for executive relevance.
• Preserving Humanity at Scale: As automation increases, empathy, compassion, and authentic leadership become more valuable, not less. AI should amplify the human experience, not replace it.
• Workforce Planning & Learning Innovation: How AI-driven insights can enable real-time learning, personalized development paths, and smarter workforce decisions.

Throughout the episode, Jeff and Luke emphasize a core truth: the future of HR is not about replacing people with machines, but about freeing leaders to lead more deeply, thoughtfully, and humanely.

Whether you are an HR executive, business leader, or someone navigating organizational change, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight into what’s coming next—and how to lead confidently through it.

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