'Truly digital teammates': Oracle's Yvette Cameron on how AI is reshaping the HR industry

Artificial intelligence is reshaping human resource management, evolving beyond merely a buzzword to a transformative force in organizations. Yvette Cameron, Senior Vice President of Global HCM Product Strategy at Oracle, highlights a significant shift from predictive and generative AI to what she refers to as "agentic AI." This new wave of AI is redefining HR roles across various sectors. In an exclusive interview with Business Today, Cameron explained that AI's capabilities are expanding from basic support functions to acting as a "digital teammate." This means AI can now reason, recommend, and even take decisive actions on behalf of organizations. For example, in 2022, Oracle's initial applications of generative AI included straightforward tasks like crafting job descriptions, which significantly reduced the time spent on each posting. The technology has since advanced to encompass Q&A agents that respond to inquiries about company policies, employee transfers, and salary benchmarks. Currently, with the introduction of agentic workflows, AI is not just analyzing data but can also schedule interviews, recommend performance evaluations, and initiate job offers autonomously. This trend indicates a broader movement within industries towards more integrated and efficient HR processes. Oracle launched generative AI in its Fusion Cloud HCM platform in mid-2023, initially focusing on hiring and performance management. By early 2025, the company had rolled out specialized AI agents capable of managing entire workflows, marking a pivotal advancement toward agentic AI in enterprise systems. Cameron asserts that this transformation allows HR leaders to shift their focus from merely managing processes to achieving strategic outcomes. The emphasis is now on quality and results rather than just staffing numbers. McKinsey’s State of AI 2025 survey reveals that over half of C-suite executives report regular use of generative AI in their operations, with HR being one of the fastest adopters. Additionally, data from the staffing industry indicates a rise in AI utilization by HR professionals globally, climbing from 58% in 2024 to 72% in 2025, reinforcing Cameron's observations about the rapid uptake of AI in the enterprise. One area where AI is making notable strides is in regulatory compliance. Cameron pointed out that AI agents can quickly update procedures in response to frequent regulatory changes, particularly in regions with complex labor laws, such as India and the Asia-Pacific. Rather than manually coding responses into chatbots, organizations can simply upload new policy documents, allowing the AI to provide real-time, accurate answers. This capability is vital in India, where tax and labor laws undergo frequent changes. The implementation of AI systems that can adapt to new regulations is becoming essential for HR teams in such fast-paced environments. Oracle's approach also emphasizes safeguards, with Cameron stressing the importance of maintaining a “human in the loop” for critical decisions, along with transparency, auditability, and bias detection embedded in AI systems. This commitment to governance aligns with new regulatory standards, including the European Union’s AI Act, which categorizes many HR systems as “high-risk” and requires strict transparency and accountability measures. Cameron provided examples of successful AI adoption, such as a global hospitality company that improved performance engagement by 68% using Oracle’s AI, and a New Zealand-based customer that enhanced internal mobility through transparent skills profiling. Recruitment processes are similarly benefiting from AI, which is now employed to generate job descriptions and tailor career site content to help candidates find their ideal roles. Cameron noted that there has been a significant acceleration in AI adoption among clients since late 2023, with businesses eagerly exploring new applications for AI in HR. As organizations increasingly transition towards skills-based talent marketplaces, as highlighted by Deloitte research, AI is facilitating better alignment between employee skills and project needs. This represents a shift towards a more strategic HR function focused on people rather than just processes. Cameron concluded that AI is transforming HR into a catalyst for strategic outcomes, emphasizing that the future of HR is not just about managing processes but about enhancing human potential.