During the pandemic, CHROs earned their long-awaited seat at the table. They became the CEO’s go-to for remote work policies, furloughs, and employee well-being. As one HR leader told HR Brew, “All of those previously under the water systems became very prominent and very in front of everybody, because we were all remote and virtual.” For the first time in decades, HR wasn’t on the sidelines. It was in the spotlight.
But the spotlight is shifting. Economic headwinds, return-to-office mandates, and cost-cutting have CEOs reaching for older playbooks. A Korn Ferry partner summed it up bluntly: “They’re sort of being pulled in two directions… transform our business through our people, and at the same time, maintain or reduce our costs.”
Now AI is amplifying the pressure. HR Brew reports that just 7% of CEOs view their CHROs as AI-savvy, creating a significant gap that could reshape the C-suite hierarchy. When business transformation hinges on human-AI work design, CHROs without AI fluency risk losing influence over critical decisions that will define their organizations' future.
This moment demands CHROs to move beyond crisis management and into strategic AI leadership. CEOs are looking for who will lead AI adoption in ways that improve productivity and workforce resilience. IT alone can’t solve it. Workforce planning and technology planning are converging, and HR is uniquely positioned to design and manage these blended ecosystems.
Jeff Diana, a four-time CHRO and advisor to Pinnacle, says the key is mindset and urgency. “First of all, get excited… I actually think we’re at the greatest time we’ve ever had for this function to finally deliver on our desire for maximum impact on businesses.” He argues that CHROs must stop waiting to be invited and start piloting:
“This is a chance for us to re-cement our role in the C-suite and not be absorbed by other functions like the CIO… We should be out in front in a way we’ve never had before.”
For Jeff, the practical starting point is clear: analyze tasks, not jobs. “Whole jobs are probably not going to be replaced in many instances. There are going to be pieces of them, and we’re going to redefine the work that remains… Pick tasks you feel like you can go around and just get started.”
The CHRO role is being redefined in real time. Those who move now, who start small, learn fast, and build AI fluency, will shape how their organizations adapt to what comes next.
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