HR Conclave
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, successfully hosted the third edition of HR Conclave 2026 on the theme, “Human Capital in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” at Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The conclave brought together distinguished HR leaders, business experts, academicians, and industry practitioners to discuss the evolving relationship between human capital and AI-driven transformation.
The event witnessed insightful discussions around AI-led workforce transformation, learning cultures, leadership resilience, ethical AI governance, and the growing importance of uniquely human skills in the age of automation.
Inaugural Address
The conclave commenced with the inaugural address by Mr. Gautam Lakhamraju, COO & Co-Founder, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon. Reflecting on the institute’s journey from a bootstrapped startup to an agile and industry-responsive institution, he highlighted the importance of reimagining management education for an AI-first future.
Addressing the theme “Human Capital in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” he spoke about the urgent need to move beyond traditional presentation-based learning and focus on critical thinking, storytelling, experimentation, and hands-on problem-solving. Drawing from Great Lakes’ early investments in Data Science and AI-focused education, he emphasized the institute’s commitment to working closely with industry leaders to shape future-ready talent..
Agentic AI Readiness – Survey Report
The conclave featured the unveiling of the “Agentic AI Readiness – Survey Report,” based on insights gathered from HR leaders and business professionals across industries.
The report highlighted how AI integration is no longer merely a technology transition, but a large-scale human capital transformation requiring organizations to rethink workforce readiness, governance frameworks, and learning ecosystems.
Key Insights from the Survey
- HR must evolve from policy administrators into transformation architects driving AI adoption across organizations.
- AI is expected to drive role redesign and workforce reskilling rather than widespread job displacement.
- Organizations urgently need stronger governance frameworks around AI ethics, accountability, and data privacy.
- Emotional intelligence, creativity, empathy, and ethical judgment continue to remain uniquely human advantages.
- Enterprises building continuous learning cultures will emerge as long-term winners in the AI economy.
Panel Discussion 1 : Reimagining Human Capital for AI Enabled Enterprises
The first panel discussion focused on how enterprises are redesigning talent strategies, workflows, and leadership approaches in response to AI-led disruption.
Panelists
Rishi Kapoor
WPP Media
Vinay Agrawal
Tech Mahindra
Neeraj Narang
Oracle
Tarun Vohra
Lumax Industries Limited
Rohit Mogra
Giesecke & Devrient India
Dr. Poornima Gupta
Great Lakes, Gurgaon (Moderator)
Key Discussion Highlights
- The biggest challenge in AI adoption is not technology, but overcoming employee fear and resistance.
- Organizations must redesign workflows around AI integration rather than limiting usage to basic prompts and shortcuts.
- Enterprise AI adoption depends heavily on trust, transparency, employee readiness, and robust privacy safeguards.
- Legacy systems and concerns around data leakage continue to slow down secure AI implementation.
- Overdependence on AI tools is weakening critical thinking, increasing the need to train future talent on foundational understanding and problem-solving.
Keynote Session
The Neuroscience of Peak Human Performance in the Age of AI
The keynote session was delivered by Sumit Seth, NeuroBusiness Group Asia, who explored the intersection of neuroscience, leadership, and AI-driven workplaces.
The session emphasized that AI transformation is fundamentally a human transformation. While technology continues to evolve rapidly, organizations must focus equally on emotional resilience, adaptability, human judgment, and sustainable performance.
Key Takeaways
- AI adoption is primarily a mindset transformation rather than a technology challenge.
- AI will redefine and enrich jobs instead of simply replacing them.
- Governance around AI ethics and accountability is lagging behind the pace of adoption
- Human skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning, and critical thinking are becoming increasingly valuable.
- Organizations must shift from static training models to continuous and adaptive learning cultures.
Panel Discussion 2 : Learning Culture in the Age of AI
The second panel discussion explored how organizations are redefining learning and development practices to build future-ready talent ecosystems.
Panelists
Amit Sharma
Protiviti India
Sanjana Sarma
Amara Raja Group
Misha Bisht
Avaada Group
Mukhvinder Bains
Accenture
Satyadeep Mishra
R Systems
Dr. Sanghamitra Bhattacharyya
Great Lakes, Gurgaon (Moderator)
Key Discussion Highlights
- Transformation occurs when employees either recognize the opportunity created by technology or experience competitive pressure to adapt.
- AI adoption succeeds only when leadership actively demonstrates usage instead of merely advocating it.
- Hyper-speed AI systems still require human oversight, critical thinking, and constructive questioning.
- Organizations are moving from “human in the loop” to “human in lead” approaches for responsible AI adoption.
- Traditional learning metrics are becoming obsolete, with organizations now focusing on measuring business readiness and capability transformation.
- Companies are proactively investing in secure AI ecosystems and enterprise-grade tools to safeguard sensitive organizational data.
Awards Distribution Ceremony
The conclave also featured the Awards Distribution Ceremony under the Great Lakes Industry Mentorship Program for Student Excellence, recognizing outstanding student achievements and industry mentorship contributions.
Fireside Chat
The conclave concluded with an engaging fireside chat featuring:
The session focused on India’s evolving AI ecosystem, the role of digital infrastructure, and the future of leadership in AI-powered workplaces.
Key Discussion Highlights
- India is building its own AI ecosystem through inclusive and voice-first digital innovation.
- The real disruption lies in AI-skilled professionals replacing those unwilling to adapt.
- Democratizing access to computing infrastructure is essential for enabling innovation.
- Human empathy and emotional consent remain critical even in highly automated systems.
- India’s green energy capabilities will play a significant role in powering future AI infrastructure.
- Modern leadership is increasingly shifting towards sustainable productivity and employee well-being.
Vote of Thanks
The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the distinguished speakers, panelists, industry leaders, faculty members, participants, and organizing teams for making HR Conclave 2026 a meaningful platform for dialogue on the future of human capital in the age of AI.
Gallery
