When I first met Sarah Smart, I knew she was cut from a different cloth. She was the kind of HR leader I aspired to be—deeply knowledgeable, unflinchingly savvy, and yet somehow still so down-to-earth. Then I met her colleague Sofia, and honestly? I was blown away. She had led the productization of one of the most complex HR and talent organizations in the world. And as someone who’s always wrestled with turning good ideas into real change, I was awestruck watching how calm and competent she was in making it all real.
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of watching Sarah and Sofia build HorizonHuman into something really special—a boutique consultancy that helps HR leaders solve the exact problems I’ve been studying for years. We’re talking about things like:
- Making skills-based talent strategies real (not just the buzzword kind)
- Driving AI readiness and literacy at every level of HR
- Embedding change management that actually sticks
- Elevating the HR function so it’s not just in the room, but driving the conversation
These are the same themes I keep running into in my research: AI adoption stalling out because of literacy gaps, workforce planning stuck in reactive mode, burnout pulling teams away from strategic work. The risks are real. But so is the opportunity.
As of yesterday, we’ve all decided to do something about it. Kyle & Co and HorizonHuman are officially teaming up.
If we’ve talked in the last few months, you know I’m bullish on this work. Kyle & Co exists to produce research with a pulse–research rooted in reality—and partnering with HorizonHuman is our way of making sure our research doesn’t just sit on a shelf. Together, we’re turning the best practices identified in the AI Momentum Model into real transformation through consulting and advisory.
What this means in practice
This isn’t just a handshake or a logo swap. Here’s what we’ll actually be doing together:
- Running executive workshops that connect our research to your reality—helping leaders see where they stand and where to go next.
- Delivering advisory programs that build the muscle HR needs to move from “AI curious” to “AI confident.”
- Creating custom playbooks and roadmaps so teams aren’t just experimenting with AI, but moving with purpose.
- Offering ongoing transformation support—because one workshop doesn’t create momentum. Progress needs to be measured, adjusted, and sustained.
Later this week, we’ll be publishing our biggest, most ambitious body of work yet: The AI Momentum Model. It’s years in the making, and it lays out what really accelerates—or stalls—AI adoption in HR.
And here’s the best part: with HorizonHuman as a partner, this body of work will go being the old school, white-paper-and-webinar model that’s dominated the research space for decades. It’s going to LIVE.. and (hopefully) help HR leaders build confidence, literacy, and coalitions that carry their AI invitations forward.
I can’t think of anyone better to be in the trenches with than Sarah and Sofia. Together, we’re not just publishing findings. We’re building momentum.
Read the full press release here