ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION IN HR COMMUNICATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES

Lauretta Ayayi Fubara

Abstract


This study examined the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in human resource (HR) communication, focusing on opportunities and ethical challenges in public and private organizations in Enugu State, Nigeria. Guided by four research objectives, the study explored how AI and automation improved HR communication efficiency, identified ethical challenges, examined employee and HR manager perceptions, and proposed strategies for ethical adoption. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining a structured questionnaire administered to 384 respondents and semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using weighted mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data underwent thematic coding to identify recurring patterns and perceptions. Findings revealed that AI and automation significantly enhanced HR communication by improving accuracy, speed, consistency, and overall efficiency. However, ethical challenges, including data privacy concerns, reduced human interaction, transparency issues, and potential bias, were prevalent and influenced trust and acceptance among employees. Interviews highlighted themes such as efficiency and convenience, loss of human touch, perceived fairness, trust and transparency, and skill readiness. Based on these findings, strategies for ethical adoption were proposed, emphasizing governance frameworks, human oversight, transparency, data protection, employee engagement, capacity building, and continuous evaluation. The study concluded that while AI and automation provide substantial operational benefits for HR communication, responsible and ethically guided implementation is critical to safeguarding employee trust, fairness, and organizational integrity. These findings contribute to the understanding of AI integration in HR practices and offer practical guidance for organizations, HR managers, policymakers, and technology providers seeking to balance efficiency with ethical responsibility.

 

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artificial intelligence, HR communication, automation, ethical challenges, organizational efficiency, ethical adoption

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejhrms.v10i1.2122

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