AI, Inclusion and Talent Strategies of the Future
Organizations are rapidly integrating AI into HR and talent functions, with adoption among HR professionals reaching 72 percent in 2025. The conversation is shifting toward ensuring this adoption does not deepen existing equity gaps, making inclusion a central pillar of future talent strategies. The episode explores how AI can serve as both a disruptive force and an opportunity engine when deployed thoughtfully.
This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Education Technology teams put it to work with Executive Thought Leadership.
Promoted content from DisruptED on MarketScale.
Key takeaways
AI adoption among HR professionals reached 72% in 2025, signaling a major shift in talent management practices.
Equity and inclusion must be proactively embedded into AI-driven HR strategies to avoid widening existing gaps.
AI presents a dual role as both a disruptor and an opportunity engine for workforce development and talent acquisition.
As organizations race to integrate AI into every corner of business, an equally urgent conversation is emerging: How do we ensure this adoption doesn’t widen existing equity gaps? AI is both a disruptive force and an opportunity engine, as recent data shows that AI adoption among HR professionals jumped to 72 percent in 2025, up from 58 percent in 2024, underscoring how deeply AI is reshaping recruiting, workforce planning, and employee development.
So, how can companies leverage AI while actively practicing inclusion—not just as a moral imperative, but as a competitive talent strategy?
Welcome to DisruptED. In this second episode with Faith Johnson, Vice President of Global Human Resources at TEKsystems, and John Lullen, Managing Executive of Marketplace Inclusion, host Ron J Stefanski dives deeper into how AI and inclusion are transforming the talent landscape. Together, they explore how technology and human-centered workforce strategies not only coexist but amplify each other’s impact.
In this episode, they discuss:
- How TEKsystems is embedding AI tools internally to support leadership, automate tasks, and create career mobility.
- The role of marketplace inclusion in bridging digital divides, especially in new roles like data center technicians and prompt engineers.
- Why diversity in AI development is essential to mitigating bias and fostering true innovation.
Faith Johnson is a seasoned HR executive with over 25 years of experience at Allegis Group and TEKsystems, where she currently leads global human resources, talent acquisition, and corporate social responsibility. Her expertise spans strategic HR leadership, employee relations, inclusion, and building talent pipelines for a global tech services organization. She also actively supports workforce development through board roles with Per Scholas and the One Love Foundation.
John Lullen is a workforce inclusion strategist with over 12 years of experience at TEKsystems, where he currently leads Marketplace Inclusion initiatives that support clients in achieving workforce modernization, inclusive hiring, and supplier engagement goals. With a strong background in technology and talent services, he has held multiple leadership roles in operations, sales, and talent strategy across various U.S. markets. John also contributes to broader social impact efforts through advisory roles with Per Scholas, Experience Futures, and Blacks in Technology.
Article written by MarketScale.
Part of this channel
DisruptED
Education, workforce, and manufacturing futures with Ron J. Stefanski.
About the author
