AI Readiness Gap (Part 1): We're Not Ready (And That's Okay) with Parijat Sarkar

This episode kicks off a four-part mini-series called the AI Readiness Gap, produced in partnership with TriNet, where we're cutting through the noise and getting into the actual numbers behind AI readiness in the workplace.  --- 81% of orgs are out here figuring out AI in real time.  Not planning or preparing for it. Figuring. It. Out. In. Real. Time.  Which…same, honestly. But that stat hit me because it confirms what so many of us have been feeling, which is that we're all behind, and no one really wants to say it out loud. No "AI is the future!" hot air without anything tactical to back it up, I promise! HR leaders deserve more than vibes and vague LinkedIn posts to navigate this shift.  My guest is Parijat Sarkar, who has seen the HR tech world from the inside, from scaling people systems at Zenefits to building AI-powered tools for finance teams at Numos, and he has thoughts. Good ones. The kind that will make you feel less like you're screaming into the void and more like you might actually know where to start. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:45 - How Parijat is Experiencing AI at WorkRight Now 00:02:59 - Parijat’s Reaction to Orgs Being Unprepared for AI Talent Acquisition 00:05:05 - Why So Many Orgs Are Stuck at the Starting Line For AI Readiness 00:08:01 - What IS it That Makes AI Feel so Overwhelming? 00:13:19 - Actively Sabotaging AI to Avoid Being Replaced 00:19:19 - What Being Prepared to Implement AI Actually Looks Like 00:24:34 - Parijat’s Advice For People Feeling Behind on AI Running a small business is hard, and HR should not get in the way. TriNet helps small businesses by outsourcing HR to professionals. This lets business owners get back to the real work: building a company, and leaving a legacy. Learn more about TriNet. If you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!   Follow Parijat: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parijatsarkar/   Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef