After two decades in the intersection of AI, behavioural science and HR technology, I’ve come to realise something simple yet profound:
the most valuable data inside a business isn’t always structured neatly in a system. Often, it lives inside the business conversations we have every day: ephemeral, emotional and deeply human.
As a founder working at the edge of HR AI tech, I’ve spent the last few months immersed in interviews with CEOs and executive teams. Their priorities are consistent: “I want more sales, more scale and more profitability”.
But when we explore what’s TRULY getting in the way, the answer is rarely about strategy, product or systems (like we all default to).
The constraint is ACTUALLY team communication.
Or more precisely, what gets lost in it.
And that’s why I believe conversational intelligence AI could be the next breakthrough for leaders seeking not just to grow, but to grow meaningfully. Hear me out.
The Invisible Cost of Poor Workplace Conversations
When managers are stretched, and most are, conversations with teams become surface-level. Important moments are glossed over, signals are missed and issues compound quietly until they become attrition, disengagement or cultural drift.
Now, we know from behavioural economics that humans aren’t always aware of what drives their decisions.
We speak in stories, tone, body language, subtext
And yet, most organisations only measure what’s easily quantifiable: sentiment surveys, KPIs and engagement scores.
But what if the most valuable (and profitable) signals are hiding in plain sight?
This new front, called Conversational Intelligence AI, now allows us to imagine a world where the everyday, unstructured dialogues within our organisations become a powerful new source of insight. Not through more work, but through better synthesis of what’s already there.
From Quick Noise to Deep Meaning: AI as a Listening Partner
At its core, conversational intelligence AI uses natural language processing and machine learning to analyse real-time conversations between people at work. Feedback discussions, 1:1s, coaching moments, even ad hoc check-ins, become raw data for analysis.
But unlike traditional metrics, what emerges isn’t just what was said, but what it meant.
Could AI suggest that a team member is showing signs of burnout, based on subtle shifts in language or tone?
I think yes.
Could it identify leadership blind spots before they manifest as performance issues? Yep.
Could it flag that someone has latent project management capabilities such as insightful planning, task ownership and follow-through, based purely on their conversational patterns? Yes.
The promise of this conversational intelligence AI in HR isn’t to replace intuition or empathy. It’s to augment them with deeper awareness; to make leaders more human by helping them hear what might otherwise be missed.
The Profitable Data You’re Already Creating
This idea becomes even more compelling when we consider that we’re not asking business managers and staff to do anything new. No new form, no new process, no added admin. Just... talk.
What we’re exploring is whether we can extract greater value from the content and context of the work conversations that are already happening, often saved as meeting notes, recorded Zoom calls or a loose collection of ideas in a Google Doc.
AI excels at synthesising complexity. And human conversation is rich with complexity: nuanced, layered, alive
The question is: can we gain great insight from this complexity to improve leadership effectiveness, performance outcomes and employee engagement, without additional
Why This Matters for Scale, Profitability and Sales
When I ask CEOs what they want, the answers are strikingly consistent: more sales, higher profitability and faster growth. But behind each of these outcomes lies a dependency on people, and more specifically, on managers.
What’s often unspoken, but profoundly true, is that bad management is one of the most expensive liabilities an organisation can carry
Misalignment, missed development opportunities and disengaged teams all add up to a quieter form of loss. A hidden cost in your P&L.
By contrast, great managers are force multipliers. They create clarity. They connect strategy to action. And they elevate the experience of work, often through nothing more than a well-timed conversation or a meaningful check-in.
That’s why scalable leadership isn’t just a capacity issue. It’s a communication issue!
And that’s precisely where conversational intelligence AI can help.
Conversational AI must be Ethical by Design
It’s important to acknowledge that this work sits on the edge of what can feel comfortable. Recording and analysing conversations raises legitimate questions about privacy, transparency and consent.
These concerns are not side issues: they are central design principles.
As someone grounded in human-centred design, I believe any deployment of conversational intelligence AI must be ethical by default. Opt-in, not covert. Empowering, not extractive. Built to support people, not police them
In this moment, we’re not rolling out a solution; we’re validating a concept.
I’m asking:
- Does this excite you?
- Does it feel useful?
- Would this kind of insight change how you lead?
What AI/Business Future Are We Building?
Ultimately, this is about possibility. About finding new ways to make work more intelligent, more responsive and more human.
Can we give managers a second set of ears? Can we design a work environment where employee engagement is understood in real time? Can we evolve from reactive feedback to proactive insight?
If so, then conversational intelligence AI may be more than a technological innovation. It could be a cultural shift, one that unlocks scale, profitability and performance not through control, but through connection.
I’m here to Extend an Invitation
I’m sharing these ideas not because I have all the answers, but because I want to start the conversation.
Could this be the next frontier in AI in HR? Can we use our existing data, our conversations, to make better decisions, build stronger leaders and empower people to thrive?
What might be possible if we listened just a little more deeply?
Let’s find out together.
Let GoFIGR manage HR insights, so you can focus on the people.
By shifting the admin and logistics of people management into a central, reliable platform, you’ll have more time and headspace for the parts that actually require your judgment, empathy and experience: the human-to-human moments that matter most.
It’s the ultimate way to build internal mobility and foster a progressive workplace culture to minimise your reliance on the hiring cycle.
It’s a great way to save crucial hours in your day as well.
Contact GoFIGR today to discover how we can help you foster a future-focused workforce using our Internal Talent Marketplace platform.
Helena Turpin spent 20 years in talent and HR innovation where she solved people-related problems using data and technology. She left corporate life to create GoFIGR where she helps mid-sized organizations to develop and retain their people by connecting employee skills and aspirations to internal opportunities like projects, mentorship and learning.
