CPO Roundtable Reflections: AI, Culture and the Evolving Roles

The group included Chief People Officers and HR leaders from listed, private and founder-led organisations. While their contexts varied, many of the themes raised were shared.

AI

The group discussed how AI is already embedded in business strategy and increasingly present in day-to-day operations. Many are no longer deciding whether to use AI, but are working through how to apply it more effectively across teams and functions. In some organisations, AI capability now features in leadership KPIs, reflecting its growing relevance to performance and planning.

As AI becomes more integrated, CPOs are leading conversations about how it is affecting the way people work. Several described the move from managing human teams to managing environments where people and AI tools operate together. These changes may not always be dramatic, but they bring new questions about role clarity, communication and trust.

One CPO referenced the “five stages of AI grief”, which prompted discussion about how employees respond when the scope or value of their roles starts to evolve. These responses weren’t framed as resistance; they were recognised as part of a normal adjustment process that requires clear leadership.

CPOs are also helping define how AI is used in recruitment, performance and compliance. With regulation still catching up, many are setting internal guidelines to ensure AI is adopted in ways that protect fairness, transparency and workforce confidence.

Culture as a Lever for Change

There was strong alignment around the need for cultures that support openness, experimentation and critical thinking. Several leaders are deliberately creating environments where it is safe to test ideas, raise concerns early and speak honestly — not to lower expectations, but to enable faster learning and more confident decision-making.

The idea of “risk-free” or non-judgmental settings came up more than once. In fast-paced environments, leaders are relying on these conditions to lead change while maintaining trust.

Some organisations are moving away from rigid hierarchies toward more flexible, collaborative structures. These models can unlock better cross-functional collaboration and responsiveness, though they often require more clarity around accountability. Measuring cultural health remains a challenge. Many are moving beyond engagement scores and instead looking at how people behave under pressure; whether they contribute, challenge and stay connected to shared goals.

The Expanding CPO Role

The CPO’s mandate continues to grow in scope and influence. Many described being involved in decisions that go well beyond traditional “HR”, from transformation and digital strategy to data governance and organisational risk. This broader reach often brings new opportunities to shape outcomes, but also stretches capacity.

Leaders in listed businesses spoke about balancing long-term people priorities with investor expectations and regulatory oversight. Those in founder-led or private equity environments described the intensity of short-term delivery and the importance of maintaining focus without established frameworks. There was broad agreement that influence depends on credibility, timing and proximity to the business.

Trust and Governance

Questions of governance, ethics and workforce trust are increasingly coming to the CPO. As organisations scale their use of AI, analytics and people data, there’s growing demand for judgement on what is technically possible versus what is reasonable and right.

Several CPOs shared that their data foundations are still a work in progress. Others are building internal policies to manage responsible use, especially where external guidance is limited. Workforce trust was a common concern. Where tools are introduced without explanation or where decisions begin to feel automated, trust can be challenging to maintain.

Final Reflections

The discussion confirmed that while contexts vary, many of the questions facing CPOs are shared. Whether operating in listed, private or founder-led environments, many are managing competing demands: from operational delivery to organisational change, from cultural leadership to AI governance. 

What came through clearly was a shared sense of responsibility. CPOs are expected to work across boundaries, bring coherence to uncertainty and support people through constant change. There is no single model for how the role is evolving, but influence often depends less on formal scope and more on credibility, timing and judgement.

We want to thank all who attended for their thoughtful contributions and look forward to continuing the conversation.

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Get in touch. For further insights or more about our People & Culture Practice, contact Alistair Clark, at alistair.clark@odgers.com.