The HR AI Playbook Nobody's Talking About: Automate Before You AI

Everyone's being told to "use AI." But most HR teams don't have a flight plan, a pilot, or even a destination.

In this episode of Pulse by HRBench, we sit down with Kristin McDonald and Dani Woods, two seasoned HRIS and HR tech leaders, to talk about what AI adoption looks like inside HR departments today.

They get into the real challenges: why AI tools still can't handle system-specific work like Workday configurations, how to measure AI impact beyond headcount reduction, and why automation should come before AI in most cases.

Kristin and Dani share what's working in their day-to-day, where they've seen AI fall short, and how HR professionals can future-proof their careers without freezing up.

If you're an HR leader trying to figure out where AI fits without blowing up your processes, this one's for you.

Topics we covered:

• Leading AI without a roadmap
• Measuring AI ROI beyond headcount
• Practical ways to start with AI today
• Career advice for HRIS professionals
• Why "exposure therapy" might be the best AI adoption framework

Episode Chapters:

• 00:00 | Meet Kristin and Dani: HR tech nerds and proud of it
• 01:37 | Leading AI when there is no roadmap
• 03:01 | Where AI actually helps (and where it completely falls short)
• 04:20 | Co-Pilot, ChatGPT, and Mando: tools HR teams are actually using
• 06:44 | How to measure AI impact beyond headcount
• 08:55 | Mapping workflows before layering on AI
• 10:35 | Why SaaS workflows were already hard before AI entered the picture
• 11:47 | Practical ways HR leaders can start using AI today
• 15:10 | "Are you going to take my job?" Managing AI fear in your team
• 16:40 | Career advice: which HRIS skills are future-proof
• 19:42 | Exposure therapy for AI: just start playing with it
• 21:15 | One thing HR leaders should remember about AI in 2026

🎙 Pulse by hrbench.com

Connect with Kristin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinmcdonald1/

Connect with Dani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellejwoods/