In the age of artificial intelligence and organizational reinvention, Moderna is taking a big leap by reshaping the traditional corporate structure. The biotech giant has merged its human resources (HR) and information technology (IT) functions under one leadership role. The goal? To build an agile, AI-first company where human capital strategy and digital innovation are no longer siloed. Their efforts don’t seem to be just about efficiency or cost-cutting—it appears to be a shift, first in many, in how companies define work, design roles, and deploy intelligent systems across their organizations.
As more enterprises grapple with how to infuse generative AI into their operations, Moderna is experimenting with a playbook that many talk about, but few have yet to executive on; a future workforce where humans and machines are fully integrated.
Architecting the Flow of Work with AI and Human
The merger of HR and IT at Moderna is now the responsibility of Tracey Franklin, who now holds the title of Chief People and Digital Technology Officer. Formerly Moderna’s CHRO, Franklin now oversees a dual mandate:
- Human Capital Strategy: Leading global talent acquisition, performance management, and workforce culture.
- Digital Infrastructure & AI Deployment: Overseeing enterprise systems, AI integration, and operational technology.
The reason behind this consolidation is to test if this structure enables Moderna to streamline decision-making across domains that increasingly overlap. Franklin was already involved in Moderna’s digital transformation—so they are taking a bet that her deep relationships within both spheres made her a natural fit.
Additionally, by combining the roles, this signals that digital acumen is no longer optional for HR leadership, or any other function for that matter—everyone is expected to be digitally native in this new world.
Traditionally, HR departments focus on headcount—how many people to hire, retain, or upskill. However with this experimental model, Moderna is pivoting to work planning: a design-first approach that evaluates what work needs to be done, then determines how it should be distributed across:
- Humans
- AI agents
- Software systems
This new approach redefines organizational capability from the ground up. It asks:
- Should a task be automated or require human empathy?
- Can machine learning models speed up decision-making?
- Is the employee experience enhanced by digital agents?
As Peter Drucker once said, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” Moderna’s restructuring appears to support that right work gets done by the right resource.
Additionally, Moderna has partnered with OpenAI, the company has deployed over 3,000 GPT-based agents internally to automate and support various business processes, including:
- HR Operations : “Ask HR” chatbots to answer employee questions instantly and use AI tools to assist with onboarding, performance reviews, and learning systems.
- R&D and Clinical Trial : Use GPTs to help scientists analyze clinical data and dose selections.
- Business Services : Leveraging automation to handle scheduling, IT ticketing, and internal support workflows.
According to Moderna, these GPTs aren’t meant to replace employees—they’re designed to augment them and to reduce repetitive tasks so that employees to focus on strategic, human-centric work, despite the skepticism.
Cultural Implications and Structural Risks
While the integration is geared towards unlocking innovation, Moderna’s move isn’t without risks. Merging HR and tech creates new challenges—cultural, operational, and strategic:
- Risk 1: Cultural Dissonance – HR and IT operate with fundamentally different mindsets—people vs. systems. Misalignment in priorities could erode collaboration.
- Risk 2: Over-Automation – Automating too many human touch points—especially in sensitive areas like HR—could harm employee trust and engagement.
- Risk 3: Superficial Innovation – If not led with intentionality, the reorg could become cosmetic—automating old systems rather than redesigning them for AI-era effectiveness.
Moderna appears to be aware of these risks. Franklin’s states there is an emphasis on “designing the flow of work” suggests the company is taking a systems-thinking approach, rather than simply layering AI onto legacy processes.
The Future of Work Is Fluid
Moderna’s decision to unify HR and technology under one banner isn’t a gimmick, it should be viewed as a glimpse into the operating system of the future enterprise. As AI reshapes what it means to be productive, adaptable, and innovative, organizations must re-architect around flow, and not necessarily not function.
The question for other leaders is no longer if work should change—but how should it change and can you lead your organization through the redesign. Because in the AI-powered enterprise, structure follows intelligence.