Inaugural Edition · June 2026

The State of AI in the People Function

Mid-Year Pulse 2026

Where AI has shifted how People teams work in the first half of 2026, where it stalled, and what leaders are watching next. Drawn from 208 People leaders and a panel of operators driving AI inside their own organizations.

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A first look at the numbers

208
People leaders surveyed
3.6
Areas of the function using AI, on average
83%
Named a specific area where AI has delivered value
6%
Ranked job loss as a top worry

What's inside the report

  1. 01
    What's landed
    Where AI has changed how People teams operate — drafting, analytics, and beyond.
  2. 02
    What's lagging
    Why AI fell short in the first half of 2026 — and why the model wasn't the problem.
  3. 03
    What we're watching
    The risks leaders are tracking: data safety, keeping up, and what didn't make the list.
  4. 04
    The way forward
    What operators are betting on in the second half of the year.

From the panel

What operators are saying

"Shadow AI is the biggest risk factor for data leakage. So get specific about what you're actually worried about. People sit at two ends — everything is dangerous, nothing is dangerous — and the truth is in the middle."
Diane Sadowski-Joseph
Founder, Clarinet
"The biggest gap isn't the tools — it's readiness. Skills, training, and a clear strategy. When AI falls short in our function, that's almost always why."
Stephanie Shuler
LifeLabs Learning

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