At SPARK Talent 2025, Bertrand Dussert, VP of Talent Acquisition at Staples, emphasized that the future workforce needs talent outliers—people who don’t just work within the system but change and reframe it.
After his presentation, Dussert shared a crucial insight into how HR should be viewing AI right now:
Actionable Insight: Train Your Recruiters with AI
Dussert suggests moving beyond simple automation and leveraging AI’s ability to act as a thought partner. For example, HR teams can use leading AI models to create detailed candidate personas with specific objections. Recruiters can then practice live interview scenarios, significantly improving their interviewing and negotiation skills before they ever talk to a real candidate.
The takeaway is clear: Instead of using AI to marginally streamline old tasks, HR must start leveraging it to train, elevate, and strategically empower their talent teams.
Check out our podcast where Dussert shares more insights!