SHRM Member Testifies Before California Select Committee

SHRM California Deputy Director Tara Fournier, SHRM-SCP, testified on Oct. 23 before the California State Senate Select Committee on Economic Development and Technological Innovation, calling on policymakers to lead responsibly by balancing innovation with fairness and workforce readiness.

Fournier highlighted SHRM research showing that 43% of organizations now use AI for HR-related activities, up from just 26% last year. Across workplaces, AI is helping HR professionals write more inclusive job descriptions, streamline recruitment, and expand access to diverse talent pools. Nearly 9 in 10 HR professionals using AI report increased efficiency, while over a third say it has reduced hiring costs.

Fournier also emphasized that AI must be guided by human intelligence, not replaced by it, and cautioned against overregulation that could hinder responsible innovation. SHRM supports a balanced, targeted approach — one that focuses on high-risk automated systems while allowing employers the flexibility and time needed to comply with evolving standards.

She also underscored that AI and workforce readiness go hand in hand. As technology transforms job requirements, California must invest in lifelong learning, employer-led training, and public-private partnerships that help workers adapt and thrive. Through the Education-to-Employment (E²) Initiative, SHRM is working to rebuild pathways from classrooms to careers and close the growing skills gap.

California has long been the nation’s hub for innovation. Fournier and SHRM California urged lawmakers to ensure that as AI advances, it does so with empathy, fairness, and inclusion — empowering every worker in every workplace across the state.