As organizations increasingly adopt artificial intelligence, Pearson is assessing how to maintain essential human interactions within its human resources framework. Chief Human Resources Officer Ali Bebo and Chief Technology Officer Dave Treat are leading this effort, emphasizing the need to identify tasks that foster personal connections in the workplace.
To facilitate employee inquiries about career growth, Pearson has implemented a chatbot named Cara. While future plans include utilizing agentic AI for coaching, both executives maintain that management roles will remain irreplaceable, particularly for significant decisions such as hiring. The collaboration between HR and technology leaders is increasingly vital as AI usage evolves within the corporate sector.
Recent data from Gallup shows that approximately half of U.S. workers report never using AI in their jobs, contrasting with higher usage rates among leaders compared to managers. Treat outlines key priorities for Pearson's AI strategy, which include product development, engineering capabilities, and the integration of AI across internal teams. The company has also expanded access to tools like Microsoft Copilot and implemented AI agents from Salesforce, which now manage a significant portion of customer service queries.