Can AI make work more human with Kelly Jones

Can AI make work more human?

What happens when the work your people used to find value in is no longer the work you need them to do?

In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Kelly Jones, Chief People Officer at Cisco, to discuss how AI is changing work and HR.

Together they explore what it really takes to lead through a time when work is being redefined—by AI, by shifting values, and by the demand for flexibility and meaning.

From rethinking leadership beyond physical office spaces to using AI for personalized learning and well-being, Kelly offers a grounded, practical view of the path forward.

And she leaves us with one powerful challenge: Are we involving the right voices—creatives, ethicists, humanists—in shaping what comes next?

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Read Nirit’s Forbes article, “Why AI At Work Needs Humans At The Wheel “, to explore these ideas further.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2nhGBb8JN4

Guest Information:

Kelly Jones is Chief People Officer at Cisco, where she steers the people strategies, functions, policies, and operations that empower 84,000+ employees to achieve extraordinary results and thrive. She leads the People Team, directing the design and implementation of data-driven, people-first solutions critical to Cisco’s business transformation, enterprisegoals, and company vision.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellykjones

Chapters:

00:00 – How Do We Guide Humans Through AI Disruption?
03:25 – What Changed in the Workplace Five Years After COVID?
05:30 – Why Return-to-Office Mandates Miss the Point?
07:40 – How Do You Lead Distributed Teams Effectively?
09:40 –Well-Being Is Now a Performance Strategy
11:50 – Will AI Replace Humans or Elevate Work?
13:30 – What Is ‘Humans at the Wheel’ Leadership?
15:00 – The Rise of Power Skills
17:20 – Hire for Skills Instead of Roles
19:25 – Will People Trust AI as Their Coach?
21:25 – What Keeps CHROs Up at Night in the Age of AI?
23:40 – Who Should Shape the Future of Work?