Human + AI: How to use AI at work without losing what makes us human

Katie Austin

Minutes
7th January 2026
Employee Experience
Employee Engagement
AI
AI is no longer a future trend — it’s already embedded in how work gets done.

Across organisations, tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot are being used to draft content, analyse data, summarise insight, plan communications and speed up everyday tasks. In many cases, this is happening informally, without clear guidance, shared principles or confidence about what “good” looks like.

And for people working in Employee Experience and Internal Communication, that uncertainty is especially pronounced. These are disciplines rooted in empathy understanding, trust, credibility and judgement as well as meaning, emotion and connection – so when AI enters the picture, the question isn’t “should we use it?”  it’s how we use it well, without undermining the very things that make our work effective.

The real tension: under-use vs over-reliance

What we’re seeing isn’t resistance to AI — it’s hesitation.
Many EX and IC professionals are stuck in one of two uncomfortable places:

1. Under-using AI
People know AI could help, but aren’t sure where to start — or worry that using it somehow cheapens their work. The result? Missed opportunities to:
  • reduce time spent on transactional tasks
  • create space for deeper thinking and design
  • focus energy where human insight really matters


2. Over-relying on AI
At the other end of the spectrum, some teams are using AI heavily — but without enough skill, challenge or judgement. Outputs are taken at face value, prompts aren’t refined, and the “human layer” is missing. This can lead to:
  • bland or generic messaging
  • loss of organisational voice
  • decisions that feel efficient, but disconnected


Neither approach serves people — or organisations — particularly well. What’s missing is intentional, people-first use of AI. We believe AI works best when it’s treated as:
  • a thinking partner, not a replacement
  • a way to support human judgement, not bypass it
  • a tool that creates space for better conversations, better design and better decisions


That means being clear on where AI adds real value, where human input is non-negotiable and how to prompt, test, refine and apply outputs thoughtfully.

That’s the thinking behind our two upcoming webinars — designed to be practical, grounded and immediately useful for people doing this work day-to-day.

Two webinars coming up...

Webinar One: Human + AI for Employee Experience

Tuesday January 27th, 14:00 GMT
Practical ways to use AI across the EX lifecycle — without losing the human touch

This session takes a whole-EX view, looking at how AI can support, but not replace, human-centred experience design.

We’ll explore how AI can help with:
  • making sense of large volumes of listening and insight
  • identifying patterns, themes and priorities
  • supporting journey mapping and experience design
  • drafting narratives and recommendations, while keeping judgement firmly human


Crucially, we’ll also look at where AI shouldn’t lead — and how to ensure EX remains intentional, ethical and people-first in an AI-enabled world.

This is ideal if you work across EX, HR, OD, People, Culture or Engagement, and want to build confidence in how AI fits into your practice.

Webinar two: Human + AI for People-First Internal Communication

Wednesday February 4th, 15:00 GMT
Using AI to strengthen trust, clarity and connection — not dilute it

Internal Communication brings its own challenges when it comes to AI. Tone, credibility and trust matter enormously – and poorly used AI can quickly undermine all three.

This session focuses specifically on People-First IC, exploring how AI can support:
  • communication planning and structure
  • drafting and refining messages while preserving voice
  • sense-checking clarity, bias and accessibility
  • synthesising feedback and insight to inform decisions


We’ll also spend time on the risks, including over-automation, generic messaging and loss of authenticity, and how IC pros can confidently apply human judgement to every stage.

This is ideal for IC leads, managers and practitioners who want to use AI as a support act, not the spokesperson.
Whether you choose to come to one, or both, you'll find each of these sessions practical rather than just theoretical. They're grounded in real-world work and designed to help you use AI with confidence and care

AI may be changing how work gets done — but it’s our choices, judgement and intent that will shape whether those changes truly serve people.

Hope to see you there