The Human Element

‍How HR Creates Real Business Value with AI

What does business-first HR look like in the age of AI? In this episode of The Human Element, Larry Ott, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cooper Standard, offers a grounded perspective on separating hype from true impact.

With four decades in manufacturing, Larry explains why organizational structure—not tools—determines how fast AI can deliver value, and why HR must start with business strategy, not HR tactics. He shares how Cooper Standard redefined its leadership language (“leaders of others,” “leaders of leaders,” “enterprise leaders”) and why leadership transitions now require mandatory onboarding and active manager support.

Larry also details where AI drives measurable ROI—like manufacturing and purchasing—and why efficiency gains should be reinvested into strategic work rather than used for headcount reduction. From building an internal AI platform for security to forming an HR AI think tank, Larry shows how to combine curiosity, practicality, and business alignment to make AI work where it matters most.

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Show Notes

Guest: Larry Ott, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Cooper Standard
Host: Barb Bidan, host of The Human Element

Key Takeaways

• Anchor transformation with CEO sponsorship and a fully aligned top team.
• Define leadership levels and expectations (leaders of others → enterprise); require immersion onboarding for new leaders.
• Treat AI as a productivity accelerant, not a cure-all; use it to speed writing, translation, and routine workflows.
• Reinvest time saved into strategic, business-facing work—not headcount cuts—especially in lean HR teams.
• Target “big rocks” where AI can drive measurable P&L impact (manufacturing, product development, purchasing).
• Hire and develop for AI curiosity and adaptability; build secure internal tools and spread best practices quickly.

Key Timestamps
[00:45] – An introduction to Larry and Cooper Standard
[01:20] – Will AI transform HR? Why org structure matters more than hype
[02:58] – Talent transformation at scale: CEO sponsorship and leadership alignment
[03:20] – Redefining leadership: from “leaders of others” to enterprise leaders
[05:01] – Making leadership transitions stick: mandatory onboarding + manager support
[06:57] – Responsible AI in HR: faster JDs/comms and using “idle time” for strategy
[10:05] – Big-rock value: applying AI in manufacturing and purchasing to impact the P&L
[13:15] – Building adaptability: hire for AI curiosity, internal tools, and an HR AI think tank

Transcription

Barb Bidan:
Welcome to The Human Element, presented by Wisq. I’m your host, Barb Bidan, and in each episode, I sit down with CHROs and senior HR leaders to explore how AI innovation and human insight are reshaping the future of HR.

We’ll explore how technology is transforming leadership strategy and the role of HR by sharing candid stories, practical ideas, and strategic perspectives to help you shape the future.

The Human Element is brought to you by Wisq, the leader in agentic HR and creator of Harper, the world’s first AI HR Generalist. Learn how Harper can resolve up to 80% of routine HR tasks autonomously at wisq.com.

Today, I’m joined by Larry Ott, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cooper Standard. Larry leads global HR strategy and people operations for the company and has spent four decades in the automotive industry, driving large-scale transformation, developing leaders, and shaping business-first HR.

Thank you so much for joining me, Larry.

Larry Ott:
Thanks for having me.

Barb:
I love a good practical solution. Let’s start there. How do you see AI actually changing HR in the next 12 to 24 months?

Larry:
I don’t necessarily see it changing HR significantly in the next 12 to 24 months, but it really depends on the starting point of the organization.

I always start with structure. If you’re organized in a traditional way, maybe with regional business units that each have their own HR hierarchy, there are more opportunities.

If you’re structured using the David Ulrich model, with business partners, centers of expertise, and shared services, the opportunities might be fewer. It doesn’t mean the tools can’t help, but I don’t know that they’ll create the kind of business results you’d see from a different starting point.

Barb:
Got it. When you think about talent transformation at a global scale, what does it take to move from strategy to execution?

Larry:
It starts with a CEO who truly understands the importance of that work. I have the good fortune of working with one, and we’ve made great strides in our processes, capabilities, and values.

It takes a CEO, and therefore a whole leadership team, that’s supportive of building a culture around talent transformation and development. That’s really the key.

In a global company, where you have different cultures, different styles, and different approaches, it requires a unified and aligned leadership team from the very top.

Barb:
So at Cooper Standard, how are you rethinking talent strategy, things like skills, internal mobility, and workforce transformation?

Larry:
One of the things we’re doing right now is changing the language we use around leadership roles.

We talk about “leaders of others,” “leaders of leaders,” and then functional, product line, and enterprise leaders.

We’re doing a much better job identifying the differences in those roles, the capabilities required for each and how to help people make those transitions.

Too often, the best “doer” becomes a leader. But that person doesn’t always understand that leading is now the key part of their job.

It’s critical that everyone understand their role and how to transition from one level to the next.

Barb:
How are you helping leaders better understand what they’re stepping into before they step into it?

Larry:
We’ve long had the educational piece, courses, onboarding tools, development programs, but we’re redoubling efforts there. Despite the best intentions, it takes the leader of that person to really support that transition. We’re going to start requiring certain things at the outset, mandatory immersion activities. A lot of companies hope the horse drinks the water. We’re going to immerse the horse. The investment up front pays off later when leaders are better equipped and transitions are smoother.

Barb:
That’s such an investment in your workforce. I want to circle back to AI. You said you don’t see it changing HR itself — and I agree with that. It may change how we work, but not the fundamentals of HR. What does responsible AI adoption look like inside HR?

Larry:
It’s about doing work more quickly and effectively.

I have about 200 HR people and several communications folks globally. Everyone is using AI in some way, writing job descriptions, drafting announcements, or preparing communications. It helps us move faster and reduce waste.

Then the question becomes: what do you do with that “idle time”? Do you fill it with more value-add work, or do you reduce the workforce? We’re already a very lean HR team, so I see AI as an opportunity to reinvest that time into higher-value work, helping the business perform better. I’ve always believed HR is not a support department.

I’d rather focus on business strategy and let HR initiatives flow from that. At Cooper Standard, we’re looking for what I call “big rocks,” areas where AI can make quantum leaps in manufacturing, product development, or purchasing. That’s where the gold is, where it can really move the P&L.

Barb:
When you think about risk management, how should HR teams approach AI?

Larry:
I haven’t spent much time thinking about risk in the AI context.

AI won’t help me address employee relations issues, for example. My team knows how to have those tough conversations with leaders.

But AI can help us hire better, write stronger job descriptions, make opportunities more attractive, and move faster.

That’s where it mitigates risk, in the talent war.

Barb:
And when it comes to adaptability, how are you building that within your teams?

Larry:
It starts with leadership understanding what AI really means. Every person we hire should be able to talk about AI.

We shouldn’t bring in people who don’t understand it or don’t want to use it. It’s a tool, just like the calculator once was. When ChatGPT gained attention, we saw demand across every function. Because of security concerns, we built our own internal tool. In HR, I formed a think tank of 20 people who generate AI use cases daily. When something works, we spread that best practice quickly.

Barb:
What’s one misconception about AI in HR?

Larry:
That it’s a cure-all. It’s not going to solve everything. We’ve already automated much of the back office, but AI isn’t automation. The misconception is that it’s the new magic pill. It’s not.

Barb:
What’s one practical way to build adaptability on teams?

Larry:
Expose them to it. Hands-on learning. Tabletop exercises. What-ifs. Then coach them afterward. During COVID, we confronted something new every day. Adaptability was critical. Our industry changes daily. The veterans don’t panic; they adapt.

Barb:
If you could keep one HR practice and drop the rest, what would you keep?

Larry:
Building the ability to understand people. Some HR professionals are outstanding at reading people; others aren’t. That’s what separates great HR leaders.

That, and focusing on what drives the business. When I sit in leadership meetings, I leave my HR hat at the door. I think about inventory, material costs, tooling, and not merit programs. HR needs to understand the business.

Barb:
That’s such an important reminder. Any final advice for HR leaders navigating transformation?

Larry:
Get close to the business. Add value. Don’t just be tactical. When you’re in a leadership meeting, elbows on the table. Contribute. Ask questions others won’t.

Be part of the business. Don’t just support it.

Barb:
I love that. You have to get in the business before you can work on the business. Larry, thank you so much for joining me on The Human Element.

Larry:
Thank you. My pleasure.

Barb:
And thank you to everyone listening to The Human Element, presented by Wisq. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I’m Barb Bidan. See you next time.