Accenture’s Karalee Close on Change Management, Responsible AI, and Harnessing Technology for Human Potential

Karalee Close, Accenture’s Global Lead for the Talent & Organization practice joins Jessica to talk about all things artificial intelligence; starting with her belief that AI, like all technology, can be harnessed for human flourishing. They discuss the web of relationships between AI, employees, and corporate structures, the evolution of change management practices, and the growing need for human skills like empathy and creative problem-solving in an AI-driven workforce. Technology is the Human Advantage Karalee describes her view that technology can be harnessed to create human potential, amplify human intelligence, and encourage more human interactions rather than replace them. Co-Learning With AI Karalee explains a model of co-learning in which humans and AI influence and improve one another as they work together to solve problems, resulting in more comfort with AI within a company culture. Innovation and Adaptation Karalee and Jessica discuss the importance of innovation and continuous learning, as well as the changing incentives for middle-management workers in the age of AI, focusing more on collaboration and innovation rather than distinct domains of expertise. About Karalee Close Karalee Close is Accenture’s Global Lead for the Talent & Organization practice and a member of the company’s Global Management Committee. She is a leader whose career spans more than two decades of senior regional and global leadership roles while based in Toronto, Calgary, Paris and London. She has had a passion for working at the intersection of strategy, technology and people for her entire career and has deep expertise in organizational change and digital & AI transformation services, coupled with a highly successful track record of CxO advisory. In recent years, Karalee worked for a top-tier consulting firm where she held a variety of regional and global industry-based leadership roles in addition to her client work. With clients, her focus is large-scale digital, AI and technology transformation and innovative approaches to accelerating value and speed through integrated approaches to technology, people and ways of working. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karalee-close-3b706232/?originalSubdomain=ca https://www.accenture.com/ Host: Jessica Kriegel Website: jessicakriegel.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel Instagram: @jess_kriegel Culture Partners Website: culturepartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners