Artificial Intelligence in Human Resources Management: Challenges and a Path Forward
2019/08/01 by Prasanna Tambe, Peter Cappelli, Valery Yakubovich · 1,381 citations
Business, Management and Accounting · Decision Sciences · Social Sciences · #AI and HR Technologies #Accountability #Artificial intelligence #Computer science #Economics #Ethics and Social Impacts of AI #Human intelligence #Human resource management #Human resources #Impact of AI and Big Data on Business and Society #Knowledge management #Management #Management science #Path (computing) #Political science #Resource allocation
paper · doi:10.1177/0008125619867910
published in California Management Review 61(4), 15-42 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2019/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract
There is a substantial gap between the promise and reality of artificial intelligence in human resource (HR) management. This article identifies four challenges in using data science techniques for HR tasks: complexity of HR phenomena, constraints imposed by small data sets, accountability questions associated with fairness and other ethical and legal constraints, and possible adverse employee reactions to management decisions via data-based algorithms. It then proposes practical responses to these challenges based on three overlapping principles—causal reasoning, randomization and experiments, and employee contribution—that would be both economically efficient and socially appropriate for using data science in the management of employees.
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