Have you ever wondered if robots are coming for your HR job? After my visit to the HR Technologies UK show at Excel London, I've been buzzing with questions about artificial intelligence in Human Resources—and it turns out you have been too.

Ever had that moment where everyone seems to be talking about AI like it is either going to save your life or steal your job?

After a trip to the HR Technologies UK show at Excel London, I came back with a head full of questions, and judging by the messages coming in, so did you.

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I get into what AI in HR actually looks like in real life. Not the shiny sales pitch. The practical stuff. What helps, what does not, and where small businesses need to be careful.

We talk about where AI is already showing up. Recruitment, CV screening, job descriptions, HR chatbots, performance management, and all the bits in between. I cover what it can do well, where it saves time, and the areas where it can quietly create a mess if no one is paying attention.

Because yes, AI can help sift through applications. It can give you a solid first draft of a job description. It can answer routine HR questions at 11 pm while you are sensibly in bed. But it does not know your culture, your team, or your values unless you teach it properly. And if it biases or helps someone make a lazy decision, “the system did it” is not going to save you.

We also talk about the legal and ethical side of AI in HR, especially under UK employment law and the Equality Act 2010. If AI influences who gets shortlisted, who gets performance-managed, or who gets disciplined, the responsibility still sits with the employer. Not the software.

So this episode is about using AI as a tool, not as a shortcut that replaces judgment. I share a simple five-step way to start using it sensibly, without drowning in jargon or buying shiny tech you do not actually need.

If you are AI-curious, a bit sceptical, or quietly wondering whether any of this is worth the fuss, this one is for you.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who is either obsessed with AI or terrified of it, and leave a review so more small businesses can figure out what is useful and what is just noise.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 1st April 2026, you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

We send out bite-sized tips, plain-English updates, and handy things you’ll actually use — no spam, no fluff.

You can sign up here 

If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.