Time to Hire
Welcome to "Time to Hire," a dynamic and insightful podcast created by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) specifically for talent acquisition professionals to keep them well-informed about the latest industry trends and best practices.
In each episode, RPOA Executive Director, Lamees Abourahma, hosts prodigious talent leaders to share talent market intelligence and innovative recruitment approaches. Tune in to the podcast to help you enhance your hiring processes, strengthen your employer brand, and innovate your talent strategy.
Whether you're a seasoned talent acquisition professional or just starting in the field, "Time to Hire" provides an invaluable platform to expand your knowledge, learn from industry leaders, and stay up-to-date with the rapidly changing world of recruitment.
Time to Hire
Ep 44 AI-Native Talent Strategies: Future-Proofing RPO with Jordan Morrow
Today’s talent acquisition landscape is experiencing rapid disruption. Did you know that 90% of employees use generative AI, yet only 40% of enterprises provide official access, according to industry research? Talent leaders face a mounting crisis: adoption is outpacing oversight, creating real “shadow AI” and data security risks. With 90-99% of the workforce lacking formal backgrounds in data and AI, only organizations prepared for this revolution will seize emerging opportunities.
In this special episode, you’ll hear an edited version of Jordan Morrow’s keynote from the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference in Chicago. How can organizations move beyond AI hype to create truly human-centric, value-driven recruiting strategies? Join host Lamees Abourahma as she introduces Jordan Morrow, Senior Vice President of Data and AI Transformation at AgileOne—known as the “Godfather of Data Literacy”—to reveal how forward-thinking leaders can harness AI for smarter, proactive talent acquisition and reshape the future of RPO.
AgileOne is a sponsor of the annual conference and a Gold Member of the RPO Association.
Add to conference episodes: Learn about and find more content from the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference here.
About the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
Introduction: Rethinking Talent Strategy with AI
Ever wondered what sets truly transformative talent strategies apart from those that just check the innovation box? As today's guest reminds us, it's not about adding new features—it's about creating real value through AI-native thinking. Welcome to Time to Hire, the podcast from the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association, where we explore stories and strategies shaping the future of talent acquisition. I'm your host, Lamees Abourahma. Today’s episode features a special keynote recorded live at our 2025 RPOA Annual Conference in Chicago. You’ll hear from Jordan Morrow, Senior Vice President of Data and AI Transformation at AgileOne and widely known as the godfather of data literacy. Jordan shares practical ways to move beyond hype and harness AI for smarter, more human-centric recruiting, inspiring you to rethink what’s possible in our ever-evolving industry.
Shadow AI and Enterprise Data Risks
My whole goal today is not just to talk about theory, but about practical AI use cases. For those thinking 95% of AI projects are failing, that's incorrect. The data shows 90% of employees at surveyed enterprises are using generative AI, but only 40% of those companies actually bought official enterprise licenses. What’s happening is called Shadow AI work—people are using AI under executives’ noses, often succeeding, but there’s a big problem: unprotected data.
If you’re putting personal information or company secrets into public AI models, that data can be absorbed and used to train those systems. For instance, Nike shut AI down on their work laptops, but employees simply switched to using it on their phones. Citibank did something similar. The core issue isn’t shutting AI down, but rather building protected models internally so AI can be used safely.
Data Literacy and the Human Role in AI
Let’s go beyond the buzz and hype that’s dominated conversations around data and AI for years. In any room, it’s rare to find people with formal AI backgrounds—90–99% haven’t trained in this field. Still, nearly every organization, especially in talent acquisition, is trying to leverage data and AI for better decisions. The challenge is equipping non-experts with data literacy, and while vital, even programs for data literacy alone aren’t the complete solution.
While generative AI promises to “solve everything,” its foundational term dates back to 1956. What’s really changed is AI’s accessibility. However, simply placing advanced tools in front of people without understanding their outputs can be dangerous. The concept “human in the loop” is thrown around frequently, but do we truly grasp what it means? Deep AI literacy is about engaging with and evaluating these models actively, not just passively.
AI Singularity and Everyday Integration
When we talk about the AI singularity—the merging of humans and AI—we’re closer than many realize. AI is becoming as ubiquitous as the internet or smartphones. Try leaving your phone in another room for a few hours and note any anxiety. This illustrates how integral technology has become to our daily lives.
The difference between tacking on AI “features” and creating AI-native solutions can define organizational value. Are you augmenting your workforce like the internet or personal computers did, or just adding shiny features?
Measuring Value: Velocity of Insight and Proof of Value
Stop focusing on AI proofs of concept; instead, pursue proofs of value. The difference? Proof of concept only shows that something technical works. Proof of value demonstrates actual business impact. Enter the “velocity of insight”: How quickly can your organization generate actionable intelligence—from raw data to better decisions—using AI?
Efficiency alone isn’t the answer. Sometimes, the best solution is the simplest one, and not everything needs AI. Start measuring outcomes by how quickly and effectively you drive insight, not just how fast you process information.
Building Talent Intelligence, Not Just Talent Management
The RPO space is moving from “talent management” to “talent intelligence.” AI should become your proactive, predictive strategic partner, not just a reactive workflow tool. True value comes from integrating AI deeply and thoughtfully throughout all recruiting and talent processes—not just as window dressing.
AI’s role isn’t about automating humans out of jobs, but about rediscovering and enhancing what people can do. The future will favor organizations that embrace this fundamental shift away from incremental improvements toward radical, value-driven rethinking.
Orchestrating Workflows with AI
Think about your role like a conductor orchestrating a symphony. You’re already combining laptops, phones, and handwritten notes to be more effective—AI is just another instrument. For talent professionals, that means moving from recruiter to talent strategist, using AI to fill skill gaps, elevate candidate nurturing, and simulate interviews.
Meetings can also benefit from improved intelligence; spend 20–30 minutes prepping with AI to make meetings shorter and far more productive. Use AI proactively for market intelligence, contract review, and benchmarking.
Storytelling, Narrative, and Market Intelligence
Narrative changes minds, not just data. In RPO, storytelling with data is a crucial skill. Generative AI can help synthesize unstructured information and build compelling, personalized narratives for clients and candidates. Ask AI to help frame your data in ways relevant to your audience, turning you into a “Pixar specialist” who makes points resonate—because the right story can drive better decisions.
Emotional Intelligence and Engineered Intelligence
Technology alone isn’t enough. Emotional intelligence (EQ) must combine with technical skills (IQ) for ethical, effective AI adoption. AI might recommend bold, even ruthless business decisions, but the human touch—understanding culture, reputation, and long-term impact—is essential.
AI success also depends on well-managed change. Build communities of “engineered intelligence” within your organization, championing experimentation, knowledge sharing, and critical evaluation of AI-driven change.
Shaping the Future: Calls to Action
The future of talent acquisition and RPO isn’t set in stone—it’s being shaped by how we choose to use, evaluate, and integrate AI. Don’t just wait for the future to happen; start creating it. Measure AI’s impact not just in financial terms, but through insights, burnout reduction, and emotional well-being for everyone in the process, including candidates.
Here are your calls to action: challenge your assumptions, embrace the shift to AI-driven practices, apply at least one new generative AI use case in your RPO work this week, and commit to learning one new AI concept you’re unfamiliar with. The more you learn and experiment, the more valuable you—and your organization—become.