How UPS Is Using AI to Prepare Its Workforce for the Next Chapter of Work

Dec 16, 2025

Join Danelle McCusker, UPS's Senior VP and global talent leader, as she shares her insights on integrating AI into workforce development. With over 23 years at UPS, she discusses transforming AI from a tool of efficiency to one that enhances human potential. Learn how UPS uses AI to support frontline employees, scales personalized coaching through technology, and emphasizes psychological safety. Danelle also highlights the importance of HR and tech collaboration to create a future-proof workforce. A must-listen for HR leaders looking to adopt human-centric AI strategies!

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INSIGHT

Future-Proof Through People And Tech

UPS treats future-proofing as both meeting basic employee needs and building comfort with technology.
Danelle McCusker emphasizes capability development as central to long-term resilience.

ANECDOTE

Promotion-From-Within In Practice

UPS promotes heavily from within: 81% of promotions came from internal talent this year.
Danelle uses her own 23-year, 17-title UPS career to illustrate internal mobility.

ANECDOTE

Pilot With Nadia To Scale Coaching

UPS began a pilot with Valence's AI coach Nadia to scale coaching to frontline employees.
Danelle describes the pilot as early but designed to deliver consistent, personalized development.

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Can AI fuel a people-first transformation at global scale? At UPS, the answer is a resounding yes.

While many companies view AI through the lens of automation and efficiency, UPS is taking a radically different approach: treating AI as an enabler of human growth, not a replacement for it.

In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green is joined by Danelle McCusker, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Talent, Learning and Culture at UPS, to explore how the company is redefining what workforce transformation looks like in the age of AI.

With over half a million employees and a deeply rooted culture of promotion from within, UPS faces a unique challenge: how to prepare its people for a future defined by emerging technologies - while preserving trust, purpose, and opportunity.

Join them as Danelle and David explore:

Why UPS is designing AI implementations to relieve frontline burdens and elevate the value of human work - not eliminate it.
How a pilot with Valence’s AI coach Nadia is creating access to consistent, personalised development for employees well beyond the executive tier.
The role of psychological safety and experimentation in successful AI adoption
How HR and technology teams are partnering to drive cultural and capability transformation
What other HR leaders can learn from UPS’s intentional, business-first approach to AI

Whether you're in the early stages of your AI journey or looking for practical ways to align tech with talent strategy, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable insights from the front lines of change.

This episode is sponsored by Valence.

Imagine if every employee had a world-class coach in their pocket. That’s exactly what Valence has created with Nadia - the AI-powered coach helping Fortune 500 companies scale development, boost performance, and support leaders at every level.

Learn more at valence.co/insight222

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