AI is Here. Now What?

Unmuted Podcast | Episode #92
AI Is Here. Now What?

Special Workday Series | Episode 1 of 6

Guest: Justin Joseph – Head of PSA, Product & Engineering, Workday
Host: Jeff Waldman – Founder & HR Tech Evangelist at ScaleHR & SocialHRCamp

Episode Overview

AI is everywhere. Organizations are investing heavily, employees are experimenting with new tools, and expectations for productivity and efficiency have never been higher.

But here's the million-dollar question: Where's the return on investment?

Welcome to the first episode of a special six-part Unmuted Podcast series in partnership with Workday!

In this episode, Jeff Waldman sits down with Justin Joseph, Head of PSA, Product & Engineering at Workday, to explore why AI adoption doesn't automatically translate into meaningful business results.

The challenge isn't necessarily the technology. It's the data, processes, workflows, and organizational readiness surrounding it.

Justin shares why organizations need to rethink how work gets done before simply introducing AI, the importance of building trust and governance, and why HR leaders must work closely with IT to realize AI's full potential.

Together, they explore practical steps organizations can take to move beyond experimentation and begin generating measurable value from AI.

We Explore:

• Why AI investments aren't always delivering the expected ROI
• How data quality and process readiness influence AI effectiveness
• Why organizations should rethink workflows before automating them
• The importance of trust, governance, and appropriate human oversight
• How HR leaders can identify practical AI use cases and quick wins
• Why AI adoption is as much about culture and change management as technology
• How HR and IT can work together to drive successful AI transformation

Three Practical Steps to Get Started:

1. Review your data foundation. Ensure your information is accurate, accessible, and appropriate for AI use.
2. Start with one process. Identify a high-friction or frequently repeated workflow where AI could deliver meaningful improvements.
3. Rethink the workflow. Don't simply automate existing processes. Involve employees in redesigning how work gets done.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: AI is here, now what?
01:30 – AI investment, adoption, and ROI challenges
03:43 – Meet Justin Joseph and his role at Workday
05:03 – Why AI adoption doesn't guarantee ROI
08:02 – Understanding AI use cases in HR
09:36 – Rethinking processes before introducing AI
11:08 – Data quality and process readiness
12:38 – Trust, governance, and data boundaries
14:03 – Where humans should remain involved
16:16 – Taking a thoughtful approach to AI adoption
17:25 – Three practical steps to get started
21:06 – AI adoption as culture and change management
22:02 – Why HR and IT must work together
23:11 – Closing remarks

About Justin Joseph

Justin Joseph is Head of PSA, Product & Engineering at Workday, where he works at the intersection of technology, product development, and enterprise innovation.

In this episode, Justin shares his perspective on the practical realities of AI adoption, helping organizations move beyond deploying tools toward improving workflows, strengthening data foundations, and achieving meaningful business outcomes.

Connect with Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-joseph-new-york/

About Workday

Workday is an enterprise technology platform that brings HR and Finance together through an open, trusted platform powered by AI.

With Sana from Workday at the heart of its AI strategy, Workday helps organizations put AI agents to work, improve productivity, and deliver meaningful business outcomes.

Workday is also a proud Gold Sponsor of all six Canadian SocialHRCamp events in 2026, supporting hands-on learning, collaboration, and innovation across Canada's HR and Talent communities.

This episode kicks off a special six-part Unmuted Podcast series featuring Workday leaders exploring AI, HR technology, and the evolving world of work.

Learn more about Workday: https://www.workday.com/

Key Takeaway

Successful AI adoption isn't about how many tools you deploy. It's about whether those tools improve how work gets done.

Start small, get your data and processes right, involve your people, and treat AI transformation as a business and cultural change—not simply a technology rollout.

About ScaleHR

Unmuted is powered by ScaleHR (https://goscalehr.com/), helping emerging HR, Recruitment, and Work Tech companies accelerate brand awareness and lead generation through Catalyst, our community-driven omnichannel marketing solution.

Unmuted is also part of the WRKdefined podcast network, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms.

🌐 Explore Unmuted: https://goscalehr.com/theunmutedpodcast
🎧 Find Unmuted on WRKdefined: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/unmuted

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