Generative AI-based technologies have rapidly emerged as a formidable force in a short period. They are utilised in various job functions, industries, and expertise levels, from everyday workplace software tools to advanced applications. These technologies are anticipated to bring a new level of intelligence to the HR technology ecosystem.

In an exclusive interview with People Matters, Guy Waterman, Vice President of People Analytics, HCM Technology, and Innovation at Oracle Corporation, discusses the new generative AI-powered capabilities in Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM. These capabilities are expected to significantly improve efficiency and streamline HR processes for candidates, employees, managers, and recruiters.

You’ve recently announced the integration of Generative AI for Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM. Could you talk about why these capabilities have become important in today’s world of work? 

What we’re seeing and hearing from our customers is that HR leaders, managers, and employees alike are now faced with higher expectations and more responsibilities than ever before. The pace of change in the workplace today is only continuing to accelerate, making it even more challenging for workers to keep up. We’ve been integrating AI into the everyday workflows for our customers for years now, and this next wave of generative AI is only just beginning the next phase of innovation. AI has proven to increase productivity and efficiency for our customers, and with the introduction of generative AI, the opportunities to continue making a big impact on ROI, creativity, time savings, and the overall employee experience are endless. 

From boosting employee experience to improving productivity, which applications across the employee lifecycle would be most impacted by Generative AI? Can you share examples from the 100-odd high-value scenarios you’ve introduced in your product?

We have identified more than 100 high value-add scenarios for generative AI in HR, and we’re working very closely with our customer community to drive more innovation and capabilities for things they truly care about and need help with. With this announcement, we’re talking about a few key use cases that are just getting us started, with some of the most notable being: 

• Performance Reviews – helping managers streamline the review process by generating an overall summary of performance based on feedback, goals, achievements, and more. 
• Goal Creation – helping employees generate goals with suggested descriptions, success criteria, and more. 
• Candidate Experience and Skill Summary – helping candidates streamline the job application process by generating a summary of their work experience and skills relevant to their desired requisition. 
  
  

Data privacy and security seem to be a leading concern area on Generative AI. Could you talk about what steps are being taken to address these concerns? 

The embedded generative AI capabilities within Oracle Cloud HCM are designed to provide the highest levels of security, performance, and business value. Customers use their own data to refine models for their specific business needs. Our customers have control over their data, ensuring it remains safe and secure. 

Could you talk about the skilling and reskilling implications that this shift could have on organisations? 

We can expect generative AI to impact the skills economy by not only creating demand for new types of technical skills but also by putting heightened importance on the more creative, strategic, and critical attributes that individuals bring to an organisation. With AI assistance, employees will have the opportunity to hone and strengthen these crucial skills the drive bottom-line benefits for their organisation, and I think that will change the skills gaps we currently face in a positive way.

What is the next set of innovations using Generative AI that could transform the HR function? And what are you most excited about?

One of the most exciting parts of this announcement is that this is truly just the beginning. As Chris Leone, executive vice president of applications development, Oracle Cloud HCM, noted during the announcement, we have already identified more than 100 high value-add scenarios for generative AI in HR, and we’re working very closely with our customer community to understand their needs and how we can drive innovation to best support them. One of the things that really excites me is the excitement and eagerness we’re seeing from our customer community. They’re not only looking forward to the ways generative AI can help their organisations, but they’re ready to start implementing and working with it now! This news is just the tip of the iceberg for what’s to come with us.