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Jason Carson on How AI Is Changing HR in Manufacturing
About this episode
Transcript
In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Jason Carson, VP of HR at Bad Boy Mowers, to talk about how AI is changing HR in manufacturing and what it takes to use new technology responsibly inside a fast-growing, operationally complex business.
Jason shares how Bad Boy Mowers has approached AI and automation with a practical, people-first mindset. For his HR team, the goal is not to remove the human side of the function. It is to reduce repetitive work, improve speed and consistency, and free the team to spend more time with employees, managers, and leaders.
The conversation covers how AI can support recruiting, onboarding, employee feedback, shift-worker support, and data-driven decision-making. Jason also explains why HR teams need clear guardrails, especially when using AI in recruiting, interpreting workforce data, or scaling employee support across different locations, shifts, and languages.
Jason’s core message is simple: data should drive decisions, but AI should not make decisions for HR. Future-proofing HR means learning the tools, asking better questions, validating the output, and staying close enough to the business and employees to know when something does not add up.
Topics Discussed:
Why Jason compares AI adoption in HR to the evolution of zero-turn mowers
How a small HR team can use AI to move away from repeatable administrative work
Why manufacturing HR needs both operational efficiency and face-to-face employee support
How employee feedback surveys can improve recruiting, onboarding, and retention
Why Bad Boy Mowers is taking a careful approach to AI in recruiting
How HR can use data to support headcount, productivity, and retention decisions
Why shift-worker support creates a different set of challenges for HR teams
How chatbots could give employees faster access to policy and HR answers
What manufacturing automation teaches HR about change management and trust
Why AI-enabled onboarding can improve consistency across locations and languages
How HR professionals can future-proof their careers by building flexibility, tech fluency, and data judgment
Why HR must let data guide decisions without letting AI replace human thinking
If you are an HR leader trying to bring AI into a manufacturing, hourly workforce, or operationally complex environment, this episode offers a practical look at how to balance speed, consistency, trust, and human judgment.
Additional Resources:
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About the guest
Jason Carson
Jason Carson is currently the VP of Human Resources and Safety at Bad Boy Mowers. Bad Boy Mowers is a U.S. based manufacturer with a product line that includes, zero turn mowers, tractors, UTV’s, electric and gas hand tools as well as articulating loaders.
Jason has a proven track record of leading enterprise-wide HR functions in a high-growth and turnaround settings across manufacturing and global operations. Expertise in building HR infrastructure, labor relations, succession planning, and talent development strategies that align with corporate growth goals.
Jason Carson is currently the VP of Human Resources and Safety at Bad Boy Mowers. Bad Boy Mowers is a U.S. based manufacturer with a product line that includes, zero turn mowers, tractors, UTV’s, electric and gas hand tools as well as articulating loaders.
Jason has a proven track record of leading enterprise-wide HR functions in a high-growth and turnaround settings across manufacturing and global operations. Expertise in building HR infrastructure, labor relations, succession planning, and talent development strategies that align with corporate growth goals.
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The leading podcast for the future of HR
The leading podcast for the future of HR
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.
The future of HR is being shaped by real operators doing the work.
If you’ve led change, navigated challenges, or learned valuable lessons in people operations, we’d love to hear your perspective.
Apply below to be considered as a guest on the show.