The pitch goes something like this: AI will handle repetitive tasks, analyze mountains of data, and provide personalized experiences at scale, which then gives HR the space to become more strategic.

It’s a compelling idea; it’s also far from guaranteed.

That’s according to Stacia Garr, a researcher and thought leader on talent management, leadership, and HR technology, who argues that the assumption rests on conditions that simply don’t exist in many organizations.

“The predominant narrative has been that we’re going to get AI in and that’s going to free HR leaders up to do more strategic work,” Garr says. “That makes a lot of underlying assumptions.”

Those assumptions, she said, include the idea that HR budgets will remain stable, that business leaders actually want HR to take on a more strategic role, and that HR teams already can step into that position. Garr suggests that none of those factors can be taken for granted and that many organizations still view HR primarily as a service function designed to deliver efficiency rather than strategic input.

“Just the premise that everyone's saying, ‘Oh, we just put in AI and HR will be more strategic,’ I think it's just flawed,” she said.

In that context, introducing AI does not automatically elevate HR. It can just as easily reinforce the status quo by enabling the same work to be delivered faster and at lower cost.

Efficiency doesn’t equal influence

That distinction becomes more important as AI begins to shape how work itself is organized.

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