IBM CFO and CHRO Redefine Workforce Economics

IBM's CFO Jim Kavanaugh and CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux discuss how AI is merging finance and human resources into a new discipline called workforce economics, where talent, digital labor, and technology investment are managed as one system. They cite IBM's internal results: 60% productivity gains, 75% faster cycle times, and 60% improved cash conversion from redesigning workflows like quote-to-cash and hire-to-exit. IBM targets $5.5 billion in annual run-rate productivity savings by end of 2026, up from $4.5 billion in 2025, to fund AI and quantum investments. The IBM Institute for Business Value's global CHRO study, released Sept.