HRTech Interview Vijay Swaminathan, Co-Founder & CEO at Draup

Vijay Swaminathan, Co-Founder & CEO at Draup chats about the need for HR leaders to better manage workforce transformation as AI becomes more mainstream across roles and functions in this HRTech catch-up:

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Hi Vijay, tell us about Etter.ai in brief?

Etter.ai is Draup’s agentic talent intelligence platform designed to help enterprises manage their workforce before it impacts employees. It continuously monitors labor markets and current data to flag emerging skill gaps and make recommendations for reskilling or redeployment strategies.

Etter allows HR leaders to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to technological shifts, preserving employee value while protecting profit margins. It ultimately allows businesses to navigate rapid change with confidence and resilience. 

How is AI enabling HR leaders in today’s workplace to reshape teams and roles? 

HR departments have become the leaders of workforce transformation because of AI. Redundant tasks have been automated, allowing HR professionals to dedicate more time to strategic initiatives like workforce planning and employee engagement. 

The implementation of AI tools helps expedite the resume screening and interview scheduling processes. This gives recruiters more time to meet with candidates and managers, and reduces vacancy costs. 

HR leaders can also tap AI for attrition insights. By proactively identifying which employees are at high risk of leaving, they can intervene ahead of time and reduce replacement costs.

All of that being said, AI needs to be viewed as augmentation, not a replacement for humans. As AI is more widely adopted across HR departments, we will see a shift from reactive problem solving to proactive strategies. 

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As AI becomes mainstream, how should HR heads ensure the human balance is retained? 

While not the intention, AI can amplify bias or over-automate sensitive processes. To make sure a fair balance between AI and human work is found, HR leaders should:

• Set fairness, privacy, and explainability standards to be enforced throughout the HR department
• Establish an ethics council representing multiple stakeholders tasked with monitoring AI deployments
• Regularly audit AI for bias and implement employee feedback to ensure transparency and accountability

With the right guidelines in place, fairness and trust can be preserved while AI continues to take on more work. When done correctly, AI will complement, not replace human work. 

What cautionary tips would you share with HR heads deploying more AI in hiring, skilling, and employee management? 

There are always risks when adopting new technologies, and AI is no exception. These are the major areas I would advise leaders to be aware of:

• Adoption: Leaders should implement AI when all stakeholders are aligned. Once everyone is in agreement, adoption should take place over multiple planned phases, with structured training and incentives.
• Technology: By having clean HR and talent data, interoperability frameworks, and a strong IT partnership, common risks like bias and integration failures can be reduced.
• Compliance: Humans should always remain in the loop to oversee compliance checks and avoid privacy breaches.
• Candidate Fraud: Companies should implement strong verification checks with AI-detection tools and human oversight throughout the hiring process to combat fraudulent applications.

AI implementation is a journey, not a plug-and-play tool. HR leaders need to be proactively prepared for risks and bake governance into every phase of adoption. 

Some thoughts on AI, HR, and the future of business 

AI isn’t a future possibility. It’s already reshaping the way organizations operate. Companies that wait too long to adopt it risk missing out on efficiency gains and cost savings.

A handful of priorities HR departments should be focusing on include:

• Capturing quick wins: Start with easier processes such as automating repetitive HR processes (e.g., candidate screening to free capacity and evaluate results fast)
• Building Scalable Foundations: The right results can only be achieved with the right data. Investing in quality governance and AI operating models will extend impact across functions.
• Driving Workforce Readiness: AI adoption should be in line with upskilling and long-term business objectives.
• Enhancing Talent Mobility: Create personalized career paths for employees to proactively reskill redundant workers, help employees grow, and boost organizational agility.

With a systematic approach, AI will enable HR to reshape not just teams, but the broader future of business strategy. 

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