IBM’s Nickle LaMoreaux on how AI helped HR put people first

IBM Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Nickle LaMoreaux is helping to steer the tech giant through the fastest change she’s seen in her two-decade career. In this interview with UC Berkeley Haas professors Jenny Chatman and Sameer Srivastava, she shares how IBM’s bold shift to AI-powered HR helped free up her human team to better support the company’s 275,000 global employees. 

IBM’s digital AI agent now handles 11 million interactions annually with a 94% resolution rate, and employee satisfaction has soared. LaMoreaux makes the case that this digital transformation has enabled her team to focus on high-value work like leadership coaching and complex problem-solving. She discusses how domain expertise has become more important than ever.

3 main takeaways from Jenny & Sameer’s interview with Nickle LaMoreaux:

1. HR should lead by example before asking others to change. Leaders create a lot more credibility by transforming their own function first. 
2. Be intentional about AI adoption: What works for another company might not fit your culture or business needs. Focus on solving real problems rather than following trends.
3. HR is uniquely positioned to guide organizations through AI integration, balancing business goals with employee readiness. It’s critical for HR to make sure employees are prepared while maintaining cultural values. 

The full transcript of this episode is available at haas.org/culture-kit.

Show Links:

• Nickle LaMoreaux
• How AI agents could transform your business in 2025, LinkedIn article by Nickle LaMoreaux, Jan. 15, 2025
• Berkeley Culture Connect Conference

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Learn more about the podcast and the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation at www.haas.org/culture-kit.

*The Culture Kit with Jenny & Sameer is a production of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation. It is produced by University FM.*