This series was recorded live at HR Tech 2025 inside the HR Executive studios on the expo floor in partnership with the WRKdefined Podcast Network. Make sure you’re subscribed to the full series and visit HRExecutive.com for the news, analysis, and insights shaping the future of work. AI hype is loud, messy, and often misguided. Jess Von Bank and Jason Averbook cut through the noise and get right to the uncomfortable truth. Most companies aren’t ready for AI because they haven’t fixed the basics: broken systems, outdated processes, and low organizational literacy. This conversation gets into the heart of what actually needs to change before AI can deliver real value.

In this episode we speak with Jess Von Bank and Jason Averbook about responsible AI, organizational readiness, governance, incentives, failed expectations, and why rethinking work itself matters more than any new tool.

Key Takeaways

AI won’t fix anything until organizations fix their fundamentals
Governance, literacy, and incentives decide whether AI succeeds
Automating old processes is not innovation
Most AI failures come from bad expectations, not tech
Leaders need to rethink how problems are defined
The industry must stop “AI sprinkling” on outdated systems
Real transformation requires behavior change and reimagining work

Chapters

01:56 Why the TA and HR tech ROI hasn’t matched investment

02:45 The opportunity and danger inside the AI buzz

03:26 Human centricity, fairness, and literacy

04:11 The hype cycle and the rush to adopt

05:10 Asking “AI for what?” before chasing ROI

06:14 Why this is a reset, not another tech wave

07:33 Digital lipstick on an analog pig

08:11 Transformation vs ongoing evolution

09:52 What will happen to most vendors

10:39 Why AI projects fail

11:41 Redefining how companies solve problems

12:21 Defining success the right way

13:03 HR’s responsibility in making AI work

14:00 Leaders need AI literacy too

14:47 Productivity vs collective intelligence

15:55 Redeploying work, not displacing workers

16:24 The limits of current AI use cases

17:00 Why displacing jobs is the wrong metric

18:15 Vendors must solve real problems

18:59 Consolidation, infrastructure, and the ecosystem

20:04 Responsible innovation needs offense and defense

20:32 Why infrastructure consolidation matters

21:21 Why responsible AI starts with asking “why?”

22:01 Rethinking whether core HR practices still make sense

22:44 The crisis moment HR is facing

23:08 Closing thoughts and gratitude

Guest Info

Jess Von Bank, Global Leader, Digital HR Transformation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessvonbank/

Jason Averbook, Sr. Partner Mercer

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaverbook/

Host

Bob Pulver, Elevate Your AIQ Podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobpulver/

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