Ciphr launches AI HR assistant for software customers

Ciphr has launched an AI HR assistant for users of its HR software, with the tool rolling out to Ciphr HR customers from this month.

Built into the company's HR platform, the assistant works through a natural language chat interface. Users can click to activate it and ask questions about information held in their HR system, with access limited by the permission settings attached to their role.

For employees, it is aimed at routine self-service tasks. Staff can ask about their remaining holiday allowance and book time off through the assistant without completing additional forms.

Managers and HR teams can also use it to query workforce data directly, rather than relying on dashboards or building formal reports. The assistant can return responses as summaries, tables and charts, covering subjects including overlapping leave, incomplete training, sickness absence patterns, employee tenure, performance reviews, skills, qualifications and pay history.

HR automation

The launch adds to a broader push by software suppliers to embed generative AI tools in business systems that already hold operational data. In HR, the trend has focused on reducing manual administration while giving managers and employees a simpler way to access information.

Ciphr said the system was designed with privacy, accuracy and oversight in mind, reflecting concerns among HR leaders about how AI is used in people management. It pointed to its own survey, which found that many HR leaders regard the effective, secure and ethical use of AI as one of their biggest challenges this year.

"HR teams want AI that takes the administrative burden off their plates, gives them better insights, and works securely within their data boundaries. That's what we've been developing at Ciphr: practical AI tools, like our new HR assistant, that solve real challenges, add real value, and deliver real efficiency gains," said Sion Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Ciphr.

"AI in HR, done well, is an enabler. It can reduce time-consuming admin and busywork with little strategic value, and empower HR professionals to do more of what they do best: support their people and drive organisational growth," said Lewis.

"HR teams are stretched in every direction. They face more compliance pressures than ever, and heavy workloads continue to contribute to HR stress. Organisations that start experimenting with AI now, even in small ways, and focus on maximising the benefits will be the ones with a more competitive edge and a more resilient HR function in the years to come," added Lewis.

Early rollout

Early adopter feedback has been positive, according to Ciphr. One of the first trial users was Paultons Park, whose HR team tested the assistant before the wider rollout.

"We came to Ciphr's AI chatbot as an early adopter, and the value was clear almost immediately. Data that used to require running a formal report is now accessible in seconds. I can just ask the question and get the answer," said Matthew Buckler, Assistant HR and Central Services Manager, Paultons Park.

"For our employees, being able to check holiday balances or find information through simple conversation is exactly what a mobile-first workforce needs. I can't wait for them to get access via their mobiles. This isn't an incremental improvement, it genuinely changes how our people interact with HR," added Buckler.

Karen Lough, Director of People at Ciphr, said the assistant changes how HR teams and managers interact with workforce information.

"HR teams have always been the keepers of critical people data, but accessing it quickly, in the moment you need it, has usually meant building reports, chasing the people team, or navigating multiple system screens," said Lough.

"Ciphr's AI assistant changes that completely. Asking a natural language question and getting an instant, accurate answer is a genuinely different way of working for HR leaders and managers who need fast intel, and for employees who want answers without raising an HR ticket. Fewer inbound queries and more time for the work that matters is something we can all buy into," added Lough.

Portfolio expansion

The company is also extending AI across other parts of its software portfolio. It recently introduced an AI form summarisation tool within its talent management product that analyses historical performance reviews and one-to-one discussions to suggest responses for current appraisals.

Ciphr has also added personalised AI coaching through a partnership with MyTeamBuilder. The service draws on personality psychology to offer employees and managers coaching prompts and related resources.

Based in Reading, the group is backed by ECI Partners and employs more than 230 people. Its customer base includes more than 1,400 organisations, including the Natural History Museum, Barnardo's, the University of Cambridge, the Greater London Authority, Evri, Prudential and the University of Oxford.