Is This Still A Good Time? #19 - Kyle Lagunas: Navigating HR Innovation and AI
Mar 10, 2026
Kyle Lagunas, an HR industry analyst who founded Kyle and Co., shares fast-paced takes on how AI is rewriting HR and recruiting. He discusses AI shifting from efficiency to rebuilding operating models. He highlights the push for defensible, explainable AI choices and the rise of practitioner-led vendor design. He also touches on recruiting pain points and the role of community in coping with HR stress.
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AI Scaled Old Recruiting Bad Habits
- AI's first wave mostly automated existing inefficient processes, scaling the 'same shit' instead of improving quality.
- Kyle Lagunas observed talent leaders now push AI to rebuild operating models and deliver quality at scale rather than pure efficiency.
Expect AI To Deliver Quality At Scale
- Talent teams now expect AI to deliver both efficiency and improved outcomes: do more with less and do it better.
- Kyle frames this as 'quality at scale' and says investments must focus on defensible, repeatable decisions and stripped-back processes.
Defensibility Means Human-in-Decision Loops
- 'Defensibility' means clarifying which human tasks must remain and how AI decisions are explained and validated.
- Kyle warns some vendors auto-disposition candidates from AI interviews, creating risks without human validation.