Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring?

A growing number of organizations are rushing to put AI to work, often announcing themselves as AI-first before working out what that actually means. What many are finding is that AI tends to surface whatever was already underneath. Where the data is patchy, the content conflicting, and no one quite owns the end-to-end process, the technology exposes all of it rather than fixing any of it. At the same time, AI is starting to reshape work itself, raising hard questions about which tasks remain genuinely human and what HR and TA roles will look like on the other side. So what does it take to build foundations solid enough to make these tools deliver? My guest this week is Mark Stelzner, founder and managing principal at IA. In our conversation, Mark explains what it really takes to make AI work in the people function. In the interview, we discuss: What are the driving forces and catalysts for transformation? How AI amplifies rather than fixes existing problems What does AI first actually mean? Re-inventing processes in large complex organizations AI’s impact on work Displaced skills, amplified skills, and uniquely human skills Turning capacity into new value The impact of transformation on people and culture The new role of the CHRO Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

Every organization knows it needs to adopt AI. Far fewer have worked out how to bring their whole workforce along for the journey. Telling employees to use new tools rarely works, and many companies are stuck with pockets of enthusiastic early adopters alongside large groups who feel the pace of change is simply too much. Getting from scattered experimentation to genuine organization-wide adoption requires a very different approach, one where upskilling, learning culture, and the right mindset matter as much as the technology itself. So what does it actually take to build a workforce that's ready for AI? My guest this week, recorded at the recent Transform conference, is Katya Laviolette, Chief People Officer at 1Password. In our conversation, she shares how her team built an AI adoption strategy co-led by HR and the technology team, why soft skills now matter more than technical training, and how to cut through the noise when every vendor is selling AI. In the interview, we discuss: Building organization-wide AI adoption The role of AI champions Balancing human and AI work Why curiosity and adaptability matter Upskilling versus hiring new talent Evolve, shift, and pivot. Evaluating AI tools and vendors in a noisy market Privacy and security considerations What the future looks like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Every platform, every feed, every channel is packed with posts and videos that increasingly look and sound like they were produced by the same machine. For employers trying to attract talent, corporate messaging already struggled to feel trustworthy, and AI-generated content has made the problem significantly worse. Candidates and consumers want to hear from real people, not polished brand accounts. That's fuelled growing interest in employee-generated content, where real employees share their own authentic experiences of working at a company. The potential is enormous, but so is the risk of doing it badly and simply creating more forgettable noise. So how do employers tap into employee voices in a way that genuinely builds trust? My guest this week is Rhona Barnett-Pierce, Founder of Workfluencer Media. In our conversation, she shares what separates effective employee content from scripted corporate messaging and how companies can get started. In the interview, we discuss: Why employee-generated content builds trust How AI content is eroding authenticity Shifts in communication preferences Showing the work, not just the workplace The employers who are doing employee content well. Finding the existing content creators in your workforce. The future of content marketing Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

I've recently returned from a long trip to Las Vegas, where I attended both the UNLEASH and Transform conferences. Unsurprisingly, AI dominated every session and every vendor booth at both events. The promise is huge, but the reality on the ground is a lot more complicated. Some teams are seeing genuine value from new tools. Others are finding that technology is creating as many problems as it solves. For many people, the sheer volume of options is making it harder, not easier, to know what to invest in. So what is actually happening with AI in talent acquisition right now? My guest interview from UNLEASH is Meredith Johnson, Chief Product Officer at Greenhouse and my guest interview from Transform is Nicki Paterson, Chief Growth Officer at Solutions Driven. They share their honest perspectives on AI adoption, the human skills that matter more than ever, and what the future might look like. In the interview, we discuss: AI hype versus the current reality on the ground The balance between humans and machines Trust, control, and transparency The shift from quantity and speed to quality and value in hiring Aligning HR and TA with critical business objectives The confusing vendor landscape What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The role of talent acquisition is changing fast. AI and automation are transforming what's possible, while CFOs and CEOs are demanding a different kind of conversation. They want to understand the value talent acquisition creates for the business and how it delivers returns that directly tie to strategic goals. The old transactional language of efficiency no longer cuts it. TA leaders who can connect what they do to business impact are the ones building a successful case for investment. The problem is, with vendor capabilities increasingly overlapping, knowing where to put that investment has never been harder. So what does it take to reposition talent acquisition as a truly strategic function? My guest this week is Jason Cerrato, SVP of Global Talent at Amentum. In our conversation, he shares how the TA conversation has evolved, why business acumen matters more than ever, and how to cut through the technology noise to make the right investment decisions. In the interview, we discuss: How the TA conversation has changed Telling a story of impact, not efficiency Speaking the language of the CFO The new criteria for tech investment Moving from a cost centre to a strategic function Changing the way organizations think about talent. Balancing AI with human connection Navigating similarity and sameness in tech products Choosing the right fit, not just the best tool The future of talent acquisition Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.