Cornerstone Innovation Lab unites data scientists across the company to advance AI in the workplace

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSOD), has announced the formation of the Cornerstone Innovation Lab for AI, a new centre of excellence within the company composed of data scientists and machine learning experts who specialise in innovating practical and ethical ways to apply AI technology to the workplace.

This year, organisations and their people have grappled with uncharted levels of disruption and uncertainty. This has created a new world of work where agility and resiliency set the most successful organisations – and people – apart. To prepare and adapt quickly, business leaders need access to the right insights about their workforce at the right time. They also need to create a personalised experience for their people that restores stability, incites growth and fosters a culture of adaptability. Embracing emerging technology, such as AI, can help organisations harness the power of their people data and implement practical ways to do this at scale.

Yet, integrating AI into HR and workplace technology is still in its early stages, and many organisations are hesitant to adopt new technologies. In fact, only 17 percent of organizations use AI-based solutions in their HR function today and only another 30 percent will do so by 2022, according to the Gartner Artificial Intelligence Survey.

“The adoption of AI within the workplace isn’t just about taking over mundane tasks and discovering statistical trends,” said Mark Goldin, Chief Technology Officer, Cornerstone. “It’s about how AI technology can help people be better at their jobs and grow, and in turn, help businesses thrive. All while fostering a positive, growth-minded culture. The Cornerstone Innovation Lab for AI was created to propel the research and development of AI in the workplace forward and responsibly incorporate new AI innovations into Cornerstone’s offerings.”

Expertise from the Cornerstone Innovation Lab for AI has already helped design and build Cornerstone’s industry-leading skills engine, the Cornerstone Skills Graph. This technology enables practical uses of AI across an organisation’s business, such as uncovering their people’s existing skills, identifying skills needed for job roles and pivoting their people faster. As such, people can take more control of their own career development by unlocking a deeper understanding of their own skills gaps, accessing the right content to help with immediate learning needs, and more.

“The impact of AI in HR is huge; the possibilities are endless. Today, organisations should be using AI to better predict, prepare for and quickly respond to dynamic business changes,” said Cyril Le Mat, director of data science at Cornerstone. “That said, AI in HR must be handled with care. Workplace people data is personal and sensitive, which is why our Cornerstone Innovation Lab for AI is focused on unlocking AI potential ethically and responsibly.”

In addition to propelling AI innovation forward, another important role of the Cornerstone Innovation Lab for AI is to educate people about the benefits AI can have on the workplace when implemented ethically and responsibly.

New research, whitepapers and other educational materials can be found here.

Image by Gerd Altmann