AI in Action: Finding Real HR Solutions at Arkansas Children’s

I’ve spent more than 30 years in HR, and I’ve always leaned into technology. But when artificial intelligence tools started dominating the conversation, I knew one thing for sure: I wasn’t going to chase them just because they were shiny and new. 

As the chief people officer at Arkansas Children’s, a leading pediatric health care system serving children across the state, I led an initiative to integrate existing AI tools into our processes with one goal in mind: to solve real problems. Here’s why we chose to undergo this journey — and what I’ve learned along the way.

Asking the Right Questions Up Front

When my team and I evaluate an AI tool, we start with three questions: 

• What problem are we trying to solve?

• How do we make sure the tool supports our decisions without replacing them?

• Where might risks, such as bias, come into play?

Those guardrails keep us focused. It’s too easy to get swept up in the hype of AI. But for me, it always comes back to this question: Will this make us more effective and help us serve our people better? 

How We Started: Recruitment

Like every health care system, we struggled after the pandemic to find and hire the right people quickly. Time-to-fill mattered more than ever, because if we weren’t first to make an offer, we risked losing strong candidates.

We started small, using AI embedded in tools we already had, such as Workday and scheduling platforms. These systems helped us organize the recruiting process, move candidates through the pipeline faster, and streamline the experience for applicants, hiring managers, and recruiters. We were able to shorten the time to schedule interviews from an average of five days to under 10 minutes.  

What we didn’t do was hand any of the decisions in the selection process to AI. Technology helped us move faster, but the judgment stayed human. That balance has been key to building trust inside the organization.

Extending Leadership Development with AI Coaching

Our next big step was experimenting with an AI-powered coaching tool called Alex, developed by Admired Leadership. We offered a limited number of licenses to leaders who wanted to practice having tough conversations in a safe environment, such as delivering constructive feedback or navigating sensitive situations. 

We weren’t sure how people would react, but the interest was overwhelming. Managers requested more than double the number of licenses we had. Leaders didn’t see this tool as scary; they saw it as supportive. And because Alex extends the reach of our HR business partners, it frees them up for more strategic work.

Building Trust with Governance and Transparency 

In health care, trust is everything — especially at a children’s hospital. That’s why we built a governance process to vet every AI tool we use. Our information systems and legal teams review data security, privacy, and contracts before anything gets rolled out.

We also make a point to communicate openly. At one point, employees thought AI was rejecting candidates before humans ever saw them. We quickly clarified how the tools actually work and reassured everyone that final decisions always rest with people. 

Looking Ahead: Career Mobility and Benefit Personalization 

I see our next AI frontier in career development. One of my mantras is, “You can have 10 jobs in your career — why not have them all in one place?” AI can help by surfacing growth opportunities that employees might not have considered, creating personalized mobility pathways that encourage people to stay. 

Another exciting area is benefits and well-being. Traditional one-size-fits-all open enrollment doesn’t serve today’s workforce, so AI could help personalize benefits information for employees. For example, it could tailor recommendations for a younger nurse coming off their parents’ insurance at age 26, or identify benefit solutions for an employee caring for elderly parents in a rural part of Arkansas. That level of individualization would be transformative. 

Change Management: Start with the Willing 

Introducing new technology always brings skeptics. I’ve found the best approach to foster companywide transformation is to “start with the willing,” as leadership author Cy Wakeman advises. We pilot with early adopters, let them test tools, and then have those people share their experiences with peers. 

We also hold quarterly HR forums at which we preview upcoming technologies and programs, so leaders feel prepared rather than surprised. Over time, as the value becomes clear, adoption moves from optional to standard. 

Lessons for Other People Leaders 

If I could offer advice to other CHROs and chief people officers exploring AI adoption, it would be this: 

• Don’t implement AI unless it solves a real problem. 

• Keep humans firmly in the decision-making role. 

• Put strong governance in place from the start. 

• Pilot with early adopters and let them champion the change. 

• Think long-term. Whether it’s career mobility or personalized employee experiences, some strategies will take years to show results. 

I don’t believe AI is something to fear. I see it as an extender, something that helps us work smarter and serve our people better. Not all tools are equal, and not every experiment will stick. But if we stay curious, thoughtful, and open-minded, we can use this technology to solve problems no one has solved before. 

As I’ve reminded my team: Somebody’s going to figure a problem out. Why not us? 

Crystal Kohanke, SHRM-CP, is the Chief People Officer at Arkansas Children’s.