The Future Of Less Work How Should HR Enable AI with Jacqui Canney
What if AI wasn’t a tech transformation—but a people transformation? What happens when you redesign HR with a product mindset, reimagine productivity as time to reinvest, and treat AI not as a replacement—but as a readiness engine?
In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Jacqui Canney, Chief People and AI Enablement Officer at ServiceNow, to explore how one of the most ambitious talent transformations in enterprise tech is unfolding—from the inside out.
Together, they unpack how to scale AI fluency across 27,000 employees, why eliminating junior roles might be the biggest mistake you can make right now, and how ServiceNow is reshaping HR into a capability-building, cross-functional powerhouse.
You’ll hear how Jacqui’s team doubled productivity without cutting headcount, how their internal AI university aims to skill 3 million learners, and why the future of work might depend less on technology—and more on the managers leading through it.
If you’re rethinking your talent strategy, wondering how to prepare your workforce for AI, or curious what it means to design HR like a product team—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Guest Information:
Jacqui Canney is the Chief People and AI Enablement Officer at ServiceNow, leading all talent strategies for the company’s rapidly growing global workforce. She is focused on constantly improving employee experiences and preparing the workforce for the future by putting people at the center and empowering them through technology and generative AI.
Prior to joining ServiceNow in July 2021, she served as Chief People Officer at WPP and Walmart, driving complex transformations. Jacqui worked at Accenture for 25 years, where she played a pivotal role in supporting the rapid growth of the business.
Jacqui serves on the Board of Directors for Wonder, the Board of Directors for Project Healthy Minds, the Chief HR Officer Board for the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), the Board of Trustees at Boston College, and as the Co-Chair for the Boston College Wall Street Business Leadership Council.
ServiceNow University: https://learning.servicenow.com/now/lxp/home
Chapters:
00:00 — What Is an AI-First Workforce?
01:50 — Why ServiceNow Changed the CHRO Role
03:30 — AI as a People Transformation, Not Just Tech
05:10 — Rethinking Productivity with AI
07:10 — How to Reinvest Time Freed by AI
08:45 — Doubling Productivity with AI Use Cases
10:50 — Building Trust Through Transparent AI Adoption
12:30 — Inside ServiceNow University and AI Fluency
14:10 — Why Culture Is Key to AI Readiness
15:45 — Turning HR into a Product Function
17:20 — Designing the Employee Journey Like a Product
18:50 — The Future of HR and Tech Collaboration
20:50 — Why Early Career Talent Still Matters
22:30 — How to Hire for AI Potential, Not Just Skills
24:30 — The New Role of People Managers in AI Workplaces
26:30 — One Question Every Leader Should Ask Now