HR AI Forward Awards 2026 · Nominations Open June 1

Recognize the HR functions
that have actually changed
how they work with AI.

Not tools. Not intentions. Not strategy decks.
The HR AI Forward Awards recognize HR functions that have built real, stable, AI-driven ways of working — and made it a team capability, not just an individual skill.

Nominate Now →See how it works
$700
Nomination fee · full access
3×
Assessment attempts included
L1–L3
Maturity framework
Global
Open to all HR functions worldwide
Why this award exists

Most HR teams are using AI.
Few have built a new way of working.

Across industries, HR professionals are experimenting with AI — writing job descriptions, summarizing notes, drafting communications. But experimentation is not transformation.

The real question is whether AI has entered the way your HR function actually operates: whether it has changed how workflows are designed, how tasks are completed, how capabilities are distributed across the team.

→Most HR functions are still in early adoption. A small number have crossed into something more structural.
→The gap between "using AI" and "building an AI-driven way of working" is where competitive advantage is forming.
→This award is for the HR functions on the right side of that gap.
What we evaluate

Five dimensions. One HR function scope.

We evaluate HR functions across five dimensions of the HR AI Forward Maturity Framework — all within the scope your HR team directly controls. You do not need to coordinate with IT, Legal, or other departments to apply.

01
Workflow
Whether AI has materially redesigned how HR work gets done — not just assisted individual tasks, but changed how workflows are structured and delivered.
Core evaluation dimension
02
Enablement
Whether AI capability has become a team asset — with systems, templates, and mechanisms to develop and sustain AI capability across HR roles.
Core evaluation dimension
03
Governance
Whether your HR function has established clear principles, responsibility, and boundaries for AI use — including how sensitive situations are handled.
Within HR function scope
04
Data
Whether HR data is structured and managed in ways that support reliable AI use — and whether your team has clear boundaries around sensitive data.
Within HR function scope
05
Infrastructure
Whether the AI tools your HR function uses are managed consistently and connected to existing HR systems in ways that support scalable practice.
Within HR function scope
The maturity framework

Three levels. One clear dividing line.

The most important boundary is between L1 and L2 — the point at which AI stops being something individuals use occasionally and starts being part of how the team actually works.

L1
Formal Adoption
Your HR function has formally recognized AI as a legitimate way of working and established basic principles and responsibility. AI is in use, but has not yet materially changed how core workflows are executed.
Most HR functions today are at L1.
L2
Embedded Practice
At least one critical HR workflow has been materially redesigned with AI and runs stably as a team way of working — not dependent on one or two individuals. HR has moved from using tools to designing work.
The defining threshold for this award.
L3
Generative Capability
Your HR function can repeatedly create, validate, and scale new AI-enabled workflows. AI capability is institutionalized — not dependent on pioneers, sustained by mechanisms.
L3 is rare and represents a fundamentally different capability.
How it works

Nominate. Assess. Submit. Get recognized.

The application begins with a nomination and a single fee that covers the full process. Once you nominate and pay, you unlock the assessment and case review.

01
Nominate & Pay
Submit your nomination with basic information about your organization and HR function. Payment of $700 is required to complete your nomination — this covers both the Assessment Service ($300) and the Case Review Service ($400).
Upon payment you receive: access to the structured assessment (up to 3 attempts), case review access unlocked automatically if you pass L1, and a one-page HR Function AI Maturity Report delivered regardless of outcome.
$700
one-time · full access
02
Complete the Assessment
28 questions across five dimensions: Workflow, Enablement, Governance, Data, and Infrastructure. Takes approximately 20–30 minutes. You have up to 3 attempts to reach the L1 threshold.
Pass L1 or above → case review unlocked. Do not reach L1 after 3 attempts → Case Review fee ($400) refunded, maturity report delivered.
20–30 min
up to 3 attempts
03
Submit Your Case Description
Once you pass L1, describe one representative AI-enabled practice from your HR function. Three questions, approximately 10–15 minutes.
Q1: Your most representative AI-enabled way of working (150–300 words) · Q2: What changed as a result? (100–200 words) · Q3: How does this practice run within your team today? (100–200 words)
10–15 min
3 questions
04
Review & Results
Applications are evaluated through AI-assisted initial scoring followed by human review. Every applicant who completes the full process receives a written maturity feedback summary.
Shortlist and Winner results are communicated by email and published on the HR AI Forward Awards page.
Weeks
after deadline
Key dates

First edition timeline.

All dates are for the inaugural 2026 edition. Exact dates will be confirmed and updated here.

May 1, 2026
Awards Announced
HR AI Forward Awards 2026 officially launched. Categories, eligibility, and application process published.
Jun 1, 2026
Nominations Open
Nomination portal goes live. All award categories open simultaneously. Global applications accepted.
Oct 1, 2026
Nomination Deadline
All nominations, assessments, and case descriptions must be submitted by this date.
Oct 2026
Review Period
AI-assisted scoring and human review. Applicants notified of any clarification requests.
Nov 2026
Winners Announced
Shortlist published publicly. All applicants notified by email. Winners announced at the Awards Ceremony.
Who should apply

Built for HR leaders who have been doing the work.

The HR AI Forward Awards are designed for HR functions that have moved beyond experimentation — where AI has entered real workflows, not just individual habits.

Strong candidates
  • ·Your HR function has redesigned at least one core workflow with AI, and it runs stably without depending on one or two individuals
  • ·Your team has developed internal templates, guidelines, or mechanisms that help others adopt AI ways of working
  • ·You have thought seriously about AI governance within your HR function specifically — not just company-wide policy
  • ·You want an honest, structured view of where your function stands — not just validation
May not be ready yet
  • ·AI use in your HR function is still primarily individual and ad hoc
  • ·You do not yet have a workflow that has been meaningfully redesigned with AI
  • ·Your team's AI capability would disappear if one or two people left
That is not a reason not to apply. The assessment will tell you exactly where you are — and every applicant receives a maturity report regardless of outcome.
Participation criteria
  • →Open to any HR function globally — no geography restriction
  • →No minimum company size or HR headcount requirement
  • →All industries and sectors eligible
  • →Applicant should be an HR leader with direct knowledge of the function's AI practices
  • →Applications are submitted at HR function level, not individual level
  • →Companies may submit multiple nominations for different award categories
What you receive

Recognition that reflects real capability.

Every applicant receives a maturity feedback report. Shortlisted and Winner organizations receive additional recognition that can be used professionally.

Shortlist
HR AI Forward Awards Shortlist 2026
  • →Official Shortlist designation and badge
  • →Use rights for LinkedIn, professional profiles, and internal communications
  • →Inclusion in the Awards 2026 Shortlist publication on hrforward.ai
  • →Maturity feedback summary with specific improvement guidance
Winner
HR AI Forward Awards Winner 2026
  • →Official Winner designation, badge, and downloadable certificate
  • →Inclusion in the Awards 2026 Winner publication on hrforward.ai
  • →Case feature consideration for HR AI Forward content channels
  • →Priority invitation for HR AI Forward Organizational Certification
  • →All Shortlist benefits included

Not everyone will be shortlisted. That is the point.

The HR AI Forward Awards are not a participation program. Applications are evaluated against a defined threshold. Functions that have not yet crossed the L2 threshold will not be shortlisted — regardless of effort, intention, or company profile.

We believe recognition only means something when it reflects a real standard. If your function is not there yet, the assessment will tell you exactly where you are — and what the most important next step is.

Pricing

One nomination fee. Full access.

A single fee covers the complete application process — assessment, case review, and your maturity report. No hidden costs, no additional fees required to receive a result.

Nomination Fee · Per Award Category
Complete Application Access
Covers assessment (up to 3 attempts), case review, and a one-page HR Function AI Maturity Report delivered to every applicant — regardless of outcome.
$700
per award category
Assessment Service
28-question structured questionnaire, up to 3 attempts to reach L1, one-page HR Function AI Maturity Report delivered to all applicants.
$300
Case Review Service
Case description submission and full evaluation process. Unlocked automatically once your function reaches the L1 threshold.
$400
Refund policy: If your function does not reach L1 after 3 assessment attempts, the Case Review portion ($400) is refunded in full. The Assessment fee ($300) is non-refundable as the maturity report has been delivered.
Optional · Winners only
Propagation Package
Press release written and distributed through HR AI Forward channels, case publication on hrforward.ai, and media outreach. Entirely optional — does not affect evaluation or result.
$1,500
Common questions

Everything you need to know before applying.

More questions? Contact awards@hrforward.ai →
About HR AI Forward

Built around real work,
not abstract knowledge.

HR AI Forward is an AI capability assessment and growth system for HR professionals. It exists to make one thing visible: whether AI has actually entered the way an HR function operates — not just whether people have tried it.

The HR AI Forward Maturity Framework defines four levels of AI maturity for HR professionals. The framework is built around real working habits and workflow patterns — not abstract knowledge or tool familiarity. The HR AI Forward Awards apply this framework at the function level, recognizing HR teams that have done the harder work of building stable, team-level, AI-driven ways of working.

4
Maturity levels in the HR AI Forward Framework
12
Stages across the maturity model
26
Questions in the individual assessment
2026
Inaugural edition of HR AI Forward Awards
Nominations open June 1, 2026 · Deadline October 1, 2026

If you have been building something real,
this is where to bring it.

HR AI Forward Awards 2026 is announced May 1. Nominations open June 1 and close October 1. Winners announced November 2026. Every applicant receives an HR Function AI Maturity Report — $700 per award category, full access included.

Nominate Your HR Function →