According to Fast Company, a satirical billboard recently appeared in San Francisco by a group calling itself “The Only Honest AI Company.” The billboard’s message, that “human flourishing is bad business,” was a direct jab at the persistent doom-and-gloom narratives surrounding artificial intelligence. This stunt highlights the ongoing hysteria, but the article points to a more concrete problem: skeptical HR executives. These leaders are reportedly refusing to adopt AI tools for hiring and talent management, even when shown hard proof of how competitors are successfully using them. This resistance, as argued, represents an abdication of their stewardship and a surrender of leadership in a critical business function.
The Real Problem Isn’t The Billboard
Here’s the thing: the billboard is funny because it’s absurd. But the HR executives’ resistance? That’s not funny at all. It’s a massive strategic failure. We’re past the point of theoretical debate. The “hard proof” the article mentions is the key. This isn’t about some sci-fi future; it’s about tools that are working right now, making other companies faster, smarter, and more efficient. To ignore that isn’t being cautious. It’s being negligent. You’re basically telling your CEO you’re fine with your competitors having a better, cheaper, and more scalable talent pipeline. How is that good stewardship?
Abdication By Any Other Name
The article uses a strong word: “abdication.” And it’s right. Think about it. Your job as a leader is to equip your organization with the best resources available. If a new industrial monitoring system came out that prevented millions in downtime, you’d buy it. The principle is the same. Refusing to engage with transformative technology isn’t protecting your people; it’s ensuring your entire operation falls behind. You’re surrendering the initiative to someone else—probably that competitor who was happy to show you their “hard proof.” They’re winning, and you’re letting them.
Where The Skepticism *Is* Valid
Now, to be fair, HR should be skeptical. Blindly implementing any software, especially AI, is a terrible idea. The fears about bias in hiring algorithms are real and documented. The concern about losing the human touch in development is legitimate. But that’s where leadership comes in! Your job isn’t to say “no.” It’s to say “how?” How do we implement this ethically? How do we audit for bias? How do we use AI to handle the administrative grind so our human experts can focus on the high-touch, strategic work that actually requires a person? Dismissing the tools entirely is the lazy way out.
Look, the billboard is a meme. It’ll fade. But the consequences of this kind of institutional resistance won’t. Companies that figure out how to be “AI-first” in a human-centric way will pull ahead. Those that hide from it will be left managing the decline. The question isn’t if AI transforms HR. It’s when. And more importantly, who will be leading that change?
