AI vs “Real HR”
If your HR strategy is “I asked ChatGPT,” we should probably talk.
Before anyone comes for me, yes, I use AI too. It’s great for organizing ideas, outlining policies, or helping me get unstuck when my brain is fried and I’ve hit the “inject me with an IV of iced coffee” phase of the day. It’s a solid tool. But lately, I’m seeing more small businesses lean on AI as their primary HR support because it’s fast, easy, and doesn’t come with a monthly retainer. I get the appeal.
Running a business in Massachusetts is hard. Compliance is complicated. Staffing is unpredictable. Everyone is wearing 14 hats, and HR usually ends up sitting somewhere between payroll, operations, and “whoever seems organized.”
The problem is…people issues are not Google-able.
Most HR situations don’t sound like: “Please draft a compliant policy.” They sound like two employees who suddenly hate each other refusing to be scheduled for the same shift, or a manager who wants to fire someone immediately, or a complaint that makes everyone uncomfortable, or (my favorite!) a performance issue that might actually be a training issue…or a leadership issue…or both (fun!).
AI will absolutely give you a technically correct answer. What it won’t do is ask the follow-up questions that usually determine whether you’re about to solve a problem… or create a much bigger one. Questions like: have you coached this employee yet? Are you handling this consistently with past situation? Is this legal, but still a terrible leadership decision?
Those questions are where lawsuits get avoided. They’re also where culture and trust either survive or quietly die.
Here’s something I’ve noticed when I use AI - I never stop at the first response. I add context. I re-ask the question. I challenge the answer. And pretty regularly, the tool responds with something like: "That clarification improves the outcome."
Which is great… but also makes me think: what happens if someone doesn’t know to ask the second question? Because experienced HR judgment isn’t just about knowing the law (although that helps). It’s about pattern recognition. It’s about sitting in tough conversations. It’s about seeing how decisions actually play out three months later when the ripple effects hit.
it’s also about knowing when to bring in other smart people.
Even after years leading HR and operations, I still pressure-test situations with experts I trust. I regularly lean on incredible employment attorneys Tracy Thomas Boland and Danielle Jerdema Lederman at Bowditch, talent strategy pros like Kerry Unflat at Talent Apothecary, and countless former colleagues who have deep experience in operations, leadership, and employee relations.
Because good HR isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about knowing the right questions to ask and the right people to call. That kind of judgment doesn’t come from templates or search results. It comes from experience, collaboration, and yes… occasionally learning the hard way.
Most small businesses don’t need a full-time HR executive. Totally normal.
But they do usually need someone they can call and say: "Hey… can I run this by you before I accidentally make this a bigger problem?"
That gap is exactly why I started KEI Consulting.
I wanted small and growing businesses to have access to experienced, human HR support without adding full-time headcount or corporate nonsense.
Because good HR is like a great neighborhood bar — you want someone who knows your name, knows your history, and knows when to step in before things get messy.