AI is moving quickly into HR, and the most trusted innovators are keeping people in the process. Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) has become a defining feature of their success.
At SHRM 2025, a packed room of HR leaders gathered for a session titled Compliance, Chaos, and Collaboration: What We Learned from Building HR AI Tools with Humans in the Loop. Led by Susan Anderson and Aimee Pedretti, two of Mitratech’s own HR and compliance experts, the session tackled how to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into HR workflows in a way that’s ethical, effective, and above all, human-centered.
AI promises transformative potential for HR, but only if it’s designed and deployed with intention. Take, for example, a company that rolls out new AI recruiting tools at speed but fails to train hiring managers on how to spot ethical or bias-related issues. Without that guidance, the risks grow quickly. By contrast, leading HR innovators take a Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) approach, embedding HR professionals to test AI tools against clear, internally defined standards before they ever reach full rollout. This keeps human values at the heart of innovation while building trust, transparency, and accountability.
HR at the Crossroads of AI and Accountability
Across every industry, organizations are racing to adopt AI tools that promise speed, scale, and savings. HR is no exception. From screening resumes and drafting policies to answering compliance questions in real-time, generative AI is reshaping how work gets done.
But for all the excitement, there’s a real undercurrent of concern. Trust in AI remains low, and not without reason. When designed without the right guardrails, AI tools can amplify bias, make decisions without context, and erode employee trust. That’s why it’s critical to build responsible AI, by design, with trusted data sources, clear scope, and intentional bias checks baked in from the start.
Susan and Aimee highlighted a core tension HR leaders face: enabling rapid AI-driven transformation while remaining accountable for compliance, fairness, and transparency. This balancing act requires both speed and thoughtfulness to navigate responsibly.
What is Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)?
Human-in-the-Loop, or HITL, is an approach to AI development and deployment that keeps people, real, trained, accountable humans, integrated at key points in the process. Instead of treating AI as a “set it and forget it” tool, HITL ensures that humans are part of:
- Training the model with accurate, relevant inputs
- Reviewing outputs for quality, bias, and accuracy
- Deciding when and how AI should be used in real workflows
For HR and compliance teams, this approach is essential. HITL acknowledges that AI can be a powerful accelerator, but only when paired with human judgment, context, and oversight.
Why HR Leaders Should Pay Attention to Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)
As Susan Anderson shared, “Even after years of using these tools, they’re still flawed. To counteract that, you have to have humans in the loop.”
HR leaders don’t need to be data scientists, but they do need to be strategic, ethical stewards of AI’s role in HR, guiding how these tools are introduced and used to benefit employees and organizations alike.
HITL is more than a technical framework; it’s a mindset that puts people at the center of AI-powered decisions.
- Next Up in the Series: Five hard-earned lessons from building AI tools with HITL frameworks
- Then: Why critical thinking is the most important skill for the AI-powered workplace
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