More than 600 HR leaders gathered in Dublin to explore how organisations can harness technology while keeping humans at the centre of work.
Humans will always hold a critical advantage in the workplace, despite rapid advances in artificial intelligence. That was the message delivered to HR professionals at the CIPD Annual Conference in Ireland on 16 April 2026.
The event at the RDS brought together 625 people professionals and senior business leaders to explore the future of work and workforce transformation.
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, mathematician and future of work expert, delivered the morning keynote address. She said HR and people professionals have a key role in ensuring technology enhances, rather than replaces, human capability.
“Humans will always have the edge. The organisations that will thrive are those that use innovation to unlock human potential, not sideline it.”
Dr Imafidon, who leads in the charity sector as CEO of Stemmettes and chair of the Institute for the Future of Work, told delegates that we are still at the early stage of AI adoption. The conversation has yet to move from the possible to the reality, as the benefits for most businesses are yet to materialise.
She encouraged delegates to watch three developments over the coming months: AI predictions that have not yet come true, changes in agentic AI platforms, and the emergence of new roles. She said HR professionals are in a unique position to name and shape what comes next.
Advanced data from the CIPD's upcoming HR Practices in Ireland survey, released to coincide with the conference ahead of the full report on 20 May, shows digital transformation (especially AI) is now the dominant driver of organisational change. It has overtaken talent availability and shifting workforce expectations.
This marks a major shift away from previously dominant concerns like financial pressures and housing.
However, the research also reveals that fewer than 6% of organisations surveyed have fully embedded AI into all HR activity.
Alison Hodgson, CIPD Country Director for Ireland, said the event came at a pivotal moment for businesses facing skills shortages, rising costs and increasing pressure to adopt new technologies.
“AI is driving organisational change, yet companies have not yet fully embedded the technology. We hope today will help equip organisations to respond with agility.”
Panel discussions featured C-suite HR leaders from Boots Ireland and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Stephen Watkins, Martha Ryan, Shane O'Brien and Ray McGann spoke about how HR needs to be a genuine partner in everything organisations do. The panel, chaired by CIPD CEO Peter Cheese, explored how HR can understand the business and translate insights from people into business success.
Later sessions looked at how chief people officers can chart change by becoming more comfortable with disagreement and being courageous about making mistakes. Noelle Burke from Vodafone Ireland, Alan Murphy from Docusign and Margaret O'Shea from Bank of America Europe shared their experiences.
Afternoon keynote speaker Neil Mullarkey, author of In the Moment, shared lessons from improv theatre that can help people deal with workplace uncertainty. He told delegates that improv skills can help us collaborate better and bring in the human factor alongside AI and machine learning.
“Rule one of improv is to listen. HR professionals need to listen to other parts of the business. Human resources are now the most vital resources in any organisation.”
Mullarkey explained that while, as another conference session revealed, 56% of people find uncertainty affects their mental health, we can deal with it by listening with intention and focusing on what's going on for others rather than just ourselves.
Other highlights included case studies on creating meaning in work from Amy Burke, Chief People and Sustainability Officer at Vhi, and Morag Lynagh, former Global Future of Work Director at Unilever. Kevin Empey from Lockton led the session, where Lynagh shared how Unilever introduced a new employment contract to create a flexible pool of talent.
Elsewhere, Richard Temperley from Zurich Ireland gave an investor-level view of global economic trends.
The conference’s expert-led roundtables and insight areas were a big success. These sponsored areas proved extremely popular with delegates, allowing them to explore practical solutions to the challenges shaping the future of work.
Watch this on-demand webinar to explore the findings of the 2026 CIPD HR Practices in Ireland report and what they reveal about change, leadership and the evolving strategic role of HR.
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