The AI for People & Culture Summit 2026 brings together CHROs, HR leaders, people analytics specialists, technology innovators and organisational strategists to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of work.
As organisations navigate rapid technological change, HR and People & Culture leaders are playing a critical role in shaping AI-enabled workplaces that are productive, ethical and human-centred. From talent acquisition and workforce planning to employee engagement and organisational design, AI is redefining how organisations attract, develop and retain talent.
This two-day summit will showcase practical case studies, expert insights and interactive discussions on how AI can enhance workforce strategy, empower
employees and enable smarter, data-driven people decisions. Through keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive roundtables, attendees will gain valuable insights into how leading organisations are leveraging AI
to build agile, future-ready workforces while maintaining trust, fairness and transparency
8:20 DELEGATE REGISTRATION & COFFEE
8:55 OPENING REMARKS FROM CHAIR
• How AI is reshaping workforce structure and job design
• The rise of skills-based organisations
• Planning for future workforce capability needs
• Strategic workforce planning with AI insights
AMANDA BARNARD
Leadership and HR Consultant, Oxford Leadership
ALICE TANG
CEO, Amplify AI Group
• Using AI to model workforce scenarios
• Identifying emerging skill gaps
• Aligning talent strategy with business growth
• Leveraging labour market intelligence
CHRIS SMITH
Head of Innovation, Ready Tech
• AI-generated job descriptions, policies and HR content
• AI copilots supporting HR teams
• Personalised employee learning and development
• Improving internal communication with GenAI
TANZIL RASHID
Head of Learning, Culture & Capability, YMCA Victoria
10:50 Morning Tea
• Identifying critical skills for the future workforce
• Designing scalable reskilling programs
• Leveraging AI to personalise employee learning journeys
• Measuring ROI from workforce upskilling
MICHAL RYBALOV
Head of People & Culture, FGB Natural Products (tbc)
• AI tools that enhance employee performance
• The impact of AI assistants and copilots
• New ways employees interact with technology
• Human creativity in an AI-powered workplace
LAINIE TAYLER
Chief of Staff, Carman's Kitchen
12:30 LUNCH BREAK
FRANCESCA DOVE
Founder, Elan Advisory and Amanda Berndt Founder and CEO, Dearthrive
Despite record investment in workplace culture, wellbeing and flexibility, employee engagement continues to decline. At the
same time, AI is reshaping how work is performed and redefining where human value is created.
In this session Grant will challenge the belief that engagement is something organisations can give employees. Instead, it
explores why sustainable engagement begins with personal ownership and introduces a practical framework built on Clarity,
Capability and Character to help individuals and leaders thrive in an AI-enabled workplace.
Attendees will leave with fresh perspectives and practical strategies to:
• Focus on work that creates genuine value.
• Leverage AI to enhance thinking, decision-making and performance.
• Build the mindset and behaviours that will remain indispensable as technology evolves.
GRANT WYATT
Head of HR, Ensign Design and Author
14:40 AFTERNOON TEA
• HR data privacy in the age of AI
• AI governance frameworks for HR leaders
• Compliance with emerging global AI regulations
• Risk management and auditability of AI systems
PANEL MEMBERS:
FERNANDO MIURAO
Head of Responsible & AI Governance Leader, Governance Institute
LAURA CHEAIL
HR Executive, Snowy Hydro Ltd
• AI-powered sourcing, screening and shortlisting
• Reducing bias while maintaining fairness and transparency
• Chatbots and AI assistants in candidate engagement
• Integrating AI into modern recruitment platforms
Drawing on Australia's first baseline of AI adoption across any level of government, this session shares insights from more than
2,500 employees across 22 Victorian councils. Discover how staff are using AI, where they are finding value and the barriers
organisations must address to support responsible adoption. From productivity gains and workforce capability to governance,
leadership and risk, the findings reveal a practical picture of how AI is changing the way people work. Learn what separates
organisations that are successfully enabling AI from those still navigating the path from experimentation to sustainable adoption.
LISA IPPOLITO
AI Enablement Lead, Futures Strategy and Projects, Whitehorse City Council
CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
NETWORKING DRINKS (1 HOUR)
DELEGATE REGISTRATION & COFFEE
Why AI rollouts fail on people, not technology - the trust gap that stalls adoption inside teams The leader's role in change: how to model AI fluency without triggering fear of replacement
Practical frameworks for embedding AI into daily workflows while protecting culture and autonomy Redesigning roles and employee experience as AI takes on repetitive work - what stays human
A simple playbook leaders can take home to build trust and adoption in their own organisation
KANJI LOW
MD and AI Growth Strategist , Synapze AI
• How AI is transforming the role of People & Culture leaders
• Moving from transactional HR to strategic workforce intelligence
• Where AI is already delivering measurable HR impact
• Preparing HR teams for AI-enabled decision making
PANEL MEMBERS:
VICKI LEAVER
Chief People and Culture Officer, Teachers Mutual Bank
NIKITA AGARWAL
Leadership, Culture and Talent Lead, Commonwealth Bank
• Identifying high-value AI use cases in HR
• Aligning HR technology investment with business strategy
• Managing implementation risks and change management
• Lessons from early adopters
MICHAEL DELANEY
Head of People & Culture, JET Charge, Co-founder, Australian AI Hub
10:50 Morning Coffee & Networking
In the age of AI, leadership is participation and influence, not hierarchy. This is especially relevant for HR leaders who must
shape AI strategy, culture, and governance without always having formal authority over technology decisions. This session
explores practical influence strategies: narrative reframing, coalition-building across silos, and using micro-wins to build
momentum, giving HR leaders concrete tools to lead transformation from wherever they sit.
KATE BYRNE
Chief People Officer, East West Group
• What happens when AI adoption outpaces leadership judgment?
• Why are organisations investing in tools faster than they are investing in adaptability, learning strategy and human capability?
• What does it mean for talent, culture and performance when 39% of core skills are set to change, but confidence in future-skills strategy remains weak?
• Why are so many organisations still mistaking experimentation for transformation? McKinsey’s research shows AI use is widespread, but enterprise-wide maturity remains low.
• What kind of leaders are needed in a world where the competitive edge is no longer access to AI, but the ability to design work, judgment and learning around it?
PREMILA JINA
President, WAITTA Inc.
12:30 LUNCH BREAK
• Using predictive analytics to forecast attrition and talent gaps
• Turning workforce data into strategic insights
• Data governance and responsible people analytics
• Building a mature people analytics capability
GREG NEWMAN
People Analytics Specialist , Rio Tinto
• AI bias in recruitment, promotions and performance reviews
• Transparency and explainability in algorithmic decision-making
• Emerging regulatory expectations around AI in HR
• Building trust with employees and leadership
PANEL MEMBERS:
FERNANDO MIURAO
Head of Responsible AI & AI Governance Leader, Governance Institute
GREG NEWMAN
Principal People Analytics Specialist, Rio Tinto
14:40 Afternoon Tea
• AI’s influence on collaboration, productivity and innovation
• Managing employee concerns about AI and automation
• Building trust in AI-driven decisions
• The evolving role of leadership in an AI-powered workplace
ANDREW BROWN
Director and Co-Founder, Adaptive Cultures
One of the most underappreciated dangers in AI rollout is the automation of flawed processes, which doesn't fix dysfunction, it
accelerates it. This session gives senior leaders a clear framework for why workflow redesign must precede AI integration, and positions HR as a critical partner in that organisational redesign, not a bystander to IT-led transformation.
This session will examine AI adoption as a human and organisational issue, not only a productivity or technology issue. It will explore how everyday AI use can affect cognitive load, judgement, decision-making, authorship, trust, psychological safety and accountability at work. Specific focus will be on practical implications for workforce strategy, talent, leadership and employee experience, including
• How AI can support productivity while also increasing risks of over-reliance, cognitive offloading and quiet deskilling
• What leaders and People and Culture teams need to preserve human judgement, learning and accountability
• How organisations can design psychologically safer AI adoption practices that build trust and capability over time
AMY MCWILLIAM
Registered Psychologist, Second Curve Psychology
CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
