When it comes to machines analyzing data to detect patterns and then make decisions, people vary in their comfort levels with the rapidly advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite the discussions evaluating the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence, there's no doubt AI can make recruiters' lives easier and save them time by automating administrative tasks. Tools exist to screen candidates, schedule interviews, and send reminders as well as host virtual job fairs, send mobile-friendly visual-based test assessments, and help candidates apply via text message, voice, or video.

Note: Thanks to Dr. Vivian Woo and Dr. Daniel Meltzer for their helpful feedback AI has been a hot topic in business over the last few years. The automation movement has been changing how we shop, work, and live our day-to-day lives, from self-checkout lanes to new phone apps. AI and automation also affect our hiring practices. In the human capital management world, AI/automation has become the topic du jour of many conferences and a variety of newspaper articles. Some recent Washington Post articles about the use of AI in hiring have caught the attention of many in the HR world, who may not be aware of how automated hiring practices are being implemented in organizations. The first article is about assessing nanny personality and fitness for hire based on social media posts and the second is a post about AI-based video interviewing tools that uses facial scanning technology to make determinations about a candidate's fitness to be hired.

Five years ago, hot on the heels of some significant global rebranding work and regional talent branding successes, I wrote a book titled "Brand and Talent." While it was certainly not the only book that advocated a total purpose-driven, integrated approach to strategic management of brand, business and human capital, it focused on a number of trends that have since become mainstream. "Brand and Talent" suggested seven new and disruptive (at the time) principles: They should not each live independently in marketing, business and HR. But at the time "Brand and Talent" was published, "employer branding" was all the rage and organizations were falling over themselves to create stand-alone employer brands. Unfortunately, for many organizations their new employer brand was often at odds with, or poorly connected to, their parent brand.

Technology, data and the way we work have collided to reshape human resources. It is now thought of as a People function. New roles like People Scientists and Chief People Officers are emerging as companies realize they need to know more about their own people if they want to win the war on talent and attract and retain the best staff. The right technology can help organizations understand their biggest asset – their people – better, and gain business advantage from developing new ways of engaging with and managing the workforce. But technology is moving and changing rapidly in the HR landscape, so it can be hard to keep abreast of what the latest developments are.