Lessons from Ben Redshaw (Orchard Tree Consulting)
HRPro is member of the EAPM, the European Association of People Management. CIPD extended an invitation to hrpro members to attend the conference in Manchester.
One of the standout sessions of this year's conference explored how artificial intelligence is transforming the HR function — and what comes next. The session, chaired by Haifa Modi, Senior Policy and Practice Advisor for Technology at CIPD, featured Ben Redshaw, founder and director of Orchard Tree Consulting, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, and member of the CIPD AI Advisory Group.
This was his core message: AI in HR has reached an inflection point — and now it’s our time as a profession.
Here"s an impression of that session.
From IT-led to HR-owned
For much of the past decade, the introduction of AI in organisations has been led by IT teams. Their focus was necessarily technical: ensuring systems were secure, compliant, and stable. But as AI tools increasingly shape the work itself — influencing what gets done, who does it, and how — Redshaw argued that HR must now take a leadership role.
“AI is starting to affect the skills required to do work, and the behaviours that underpin it. This is our time as a profession.”
The implications go far beyond efficiency. HR’s remit now extends to ensuring that AI-driven decisions — in recruitment, performance management, learning, and workforce planning — are fair, transparent, and aligned with organisational values.
How AI is Used in HR Today
Drawing on recent research from Heidrick & Struggles, Redshaw outlined the current landscape of AI adoption in HR. Among over 400 HR Directors surveyed, the most common applications included:
- Crafting job descriptions
- Answering employee questions
- Screening CVs
- Supporting performance reviews
- HRIS automation (e.g. leave booking, personal data updates)
These are “safe” use cases — largely content-based, with relatively low risk. But Redshaw pointed out that this is only the beginning.
Looking ahead two years, organisations expect AI to expand into far more strategic domains: workforce planning, talent analytics, compensation modelling, and even predictive scheduling. The focus will shift from content to transactions — from “writing about work” to “doing the work.”
“AI will evolve from generating content to performing transactions and influencing workforce decisions. That’s where HR has a crucial role to play.”
The C-Suite Agenda: Governance and Growth
According to joint research by the CIPD and Windmark, the top priorities for business leaders include economic growth, sustainability, talent performance — and, notably, AI governance.
But what does governance actually mean in practice? Redshaw proposed a two-layer model:
- Technical Governance – Led by IT, focusing on data integrity, risk management, and compliance.
- Human Governance – Led by HR, ensuring fairness, accountability, culture, and transparency in how AI impacts people.
This second layer is where HR’s expertise becomes indispensable. As AI begins influencing decisions about who gets hired, promoted, or rewarded, HR must ensure that these systems uphold fairness and trust.
The FACT Framework for Responsible AI
Redshaw shared the FACT framework — a practical model for responsible AI governance in HR:
- Fairness – Ensuring AI tools do not produce discriminatory or biased outcomes.
- Accountability – Defining clear ownership for AI systems and escalation routes when issues arise.
- Culture – Building employee confidence through training, communication, and responsible use.
- Transparency – Explaining in simple, human terms how AI tools make decisions and what data they rely on.
“If I see a tool making unfair or inconsistent decisions, I need to know who to escalate that to. It can’t just be, ‘the computer said no.’”
“This is Our Time”
Redshaw closed with a call to action. For too long, AI has been “the domain of our IT friends.” But as these technologies increasingly shape people’s experience of work, HR professionals have both the legitimacy and the responsibility to lead.
“Responsible AI is tailor-made for the HR function. It’s our opportunity to step into that space and own it.”
About Ben Redshaw
Ben Redshaw is the founder and director of Orchard Tree Consulting, specialising in AI governance, skills acceleration, and digital transformation in HR. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, he serves on the CIPD AI Advisory Group and regularly works with organisations to design practical, human-centred AI strategies.
