Boards that see AI only as a technology project are missing the bigger question: what it’s doing to culture, capability, and equity. That was the focus of my keynote at Sheffield North Island and BE Employment Law’s Speaker Series earlier this week.
A huge thank you to the team for hosting such a fantastic event, and for inviting me to share insights with over 70 directors and senior executives on this critical topic.
As the Māori proverb says, “He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.” At its heart, the AI governance challenge is about people as much as technology. We explored some of the key issues boards and executives need to be considering to ensure AI is governed with fairness and foresight, including:
• The rise of “secret cyborgs” quietly using AI at work, and what that means for performance and productivity.
• The AI fluency gap that risks leaving some groups behind, particularly women and early-career employees.
• The vanishing entry-level pathway, and how this could hollow out tomorrow’s leadership pipeline.
The huge range of questions that came afterwards shows just how important this topic is for today’s leaders and how much curiosity there is to get AI governance right.
👉 I’d love to hear: how is your board or leadership team tackling the hidden dynamics of AI in your workplace?
For more information: https://www.sheffield.co.nz/News-and-Resources/News/speaker-series-ais-hidden-workforce-revolution-with-helen-van-orton
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