AI Readiness Gap (Part 1): We’re Not Ready (And That’s Okay) with Parijat Sarkar

Hebba Youssef
Hebba Youssef
April 29, 2026

This episode kicks off a four-part mini-series called the AI Readiness Gap, produced in partnership with TriNet, where we’re cutting through the noise and getting into the actual numbers behind AI readiness in the workplace. 

81% of orgs are out here figuring out AI in real time. 

Not planning or preparing for it. Figuring. It. Out. In. Real. Time. 

Which…same, honestly. But that stat hit me because it confirms what so many of us have been feeling, which is that we’re all behind, and no one really wants to say it out loud.

No “AI is the future!” hot air without anything tactical to back it up, I promise! HR leaders deserve more than vibes and vague LinkedIn posts to navigate this shift. 

My guest is Parijat Sarkar, who has seen the HR tech world from the inside, from scaling people systems at Zenefits to building AI-powered tools for finance teams at Numos, and he has thoughts. Good ones. The kind that will make you feel less like you’re screaming into the void and more like you might actually know where to start.

00:00:00 – Intro

00:01:45 – How Parijat is Experiencing AI at WorkRight Now

00:02:59 – Parijat’s Reaction to Orgs Being Unprepared for AI Talent Acquisition

00:05:05 – Why So Many Orgs Are Stuck at the Starting Line For AI Readiness

00:08:01 – What IS it That Makes AI Feel so Overwhelming?

00:13:19 – Actively Sabotaging AI to Avoid Being Replaced

00:19:19 – What Being Prepared to Implement AI Actually Looks Like

00:24:34 – Parijat’s Advice For People Feeling Behind on AI

Running a small business is hard, and HR should not get in the way. TriNet helps small businesses by outsourcing HR to professionals. This lets business owners get back to the real work: building a company, and leaving a legacy. Learn more about TriNet.

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Follow Parijat:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parijatsarkar/

 

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

Hebba Youssef
Hebba Youssef