Future-ready HR: Getting to grips with AI

Join us for an energising, interactive session designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and explore the practical, positive role AI and automation can play in the future of HR.

This isn’t a lecture or a sales pitch – it’s a space for people professionals to connect, experiment, and reimagine what’s possible when people and tech work together.

With expert insights from Pranath Fernando (The FuturAI) and Professor Ödül Bozkurt (University of Sussex Business School), this session will cut through the noise around AI and deliver grounded, inspiring ideas you can actually use. Whether you’re just starting to explore new technologies or already testing tools in your organisation, you’ll leave with fresh thinking, practical examples, and a clearer sense of what AI can do for you – not to you.

Expect an open, collaborative environment where you can:

• Learn from peers and real-world case studies

• Break down fears and myths about AI in HR

• Ideate new solutions with support from leading thinkers

• Build your network with like-minded HR professionals

Whether you're in recruitment, L&D, operations or people strategy, this workshop is your opportunity to shape the future of HR with optimism, creativity, and confidence.

Come curious. Leave inspired.

About the speakers

Pranath Fernando

Pranath is the owner of The FuturAI – an online newsletter, publication and AI consultancy helping people understand AI the easy way and its impact on society, as well as delivering AI automation solutions. His background is multi-disciplinary: in the arts in contemporary dance, in personal development, and in science in cognitive science, data science and AI research.

Ödül Bozkurt

Ödül Bozkurt is Professor of Work and Employment at the University of Sussex Business School, where she is a member of the ESRC Digital Futures at Work Research Centre - DIGIT. She received her PhD in Sociology at the University of California at Los Angeles and worked at the Universities of Leeds, Bradford and Lancaster before moving to Sussex.

Her academic publications have included findings from studies of high skilled employment in mobile telecomms multinationals, retail work in UK supermarkets, women in management in Japan, work in the green/circular economy and craft work in classic vehicle restoration, among others.

In DIGIT, Ödül's conducted projects on coworking spaces in three English city regions and most recently on the use of Generative AI in digital SMEs in Greater Brighton. She has been collaborating with CIPD Sussex Branch for over a decade, especially through the MSc Human Resource Management that she launched in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Please note:

1. Reminder emails will be sent to you the day before, with a further reminder on the day of the event.
2. Photography and video production may be taking place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.
3. By attending the event, you are giving consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.
4. As we are supplying refreshments, if you can no longer attend, please cancel your place either on Eventbrite, or by responding to the confirmation email.
5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.
6. Please note that refunds for CIPD non-member tickets will only be available until seven days prior to the event, any cancelled tickets after this will not receive a refund.
7. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.