Moderna’s HR-IT merger: Trend or exception to the rule?

Moderna has made headlines in recent weeks for an unusual structural shift that blends two traditionally separate functions: human resources and information technology. Following the departure of its CIO and a trimming of its digital team, the company folded the IT department under the leadership of its chief human resources officer. For many, this raised eyebrows. Is Moderna predicting a new normal where HR and IT converge, especially in an AI-first enterprise?

Possibly, but I don’t think so. Moderna’s decision is bold and, in many ways, unprecedented. But I would recommend that it should not be mistaken as a sign of things to come across the broader enterprise landscape. Not yet anyway. Context is important in understanding the company’s decision here. (See also: Taking stock of human capital in the age of AI.)

The context behind Moderna’s decision

To understand the rationale, we must consider the factors unique to this company. Moderna is a pioneer in biotechnology and a trailblazer in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) across its operations. From drug discovery to digital marketing, AI is deeply embedded in its strategic road map. In fact, as reported in TheInformation.com, it appears that a conversation about ChatGPT was a key catalyst in Moderna’s decision to merge HR and IT.CEO Stéphane Bancel reportedly saw the increasing entanglement of AI in workplace functions and organizational design as an opportunity to reimagine how Moderna’s tech and its people interface.

Moderna has also partnered extensively with OpenAI, leveraging advanced AI systems not just for scientific innovation but also for back-office efficiency. A recent article details how Moderna uses OpenAI’s tools to streamline both technical and HR-related workflows for automating candidate screening, internal ticketing, and employee onboarding. In such an environment, where AI acts as the connective tissue between systems and people, the argument to bring HR and IT together is certainly intriguing and not surprising.

Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO, hinted at this evolution when he said, “In a lot of ways, the IT department of every company is going to be the HR department of AI agents in the future.” At Moderna, this vision is not theoretical; it is already in motion. But the capability to act on this convergence is contingent on something Moderna happens to have already: an HR leader with deep technological acumen. (See also: Why HR professionals struggle with big data.)

Tracey Franklin: A unique catalyst

Moderna’s HR-IT merger is less about an industry trend and more about the capability of one individual: Tracey Franklin. As The Wall Street Journal reported, Franklin’s background includes not only traditional HR expertise but also a strong grasp of the company’s digital transformation initiatives. She is not a typical CHRO. Her ability to lead both domains stems from her proximity to Moderna’s evolving AI strategy and her alignment with the executive vision of a highly integrated enterprise.

This type of executive is rare. Most CHROs, while highly skilled in people strategy and organizational design, do not possess the technical depth required to lead IT. Conversely, most CIOs are not equipped to take on employee experience or talent development at scale. Moderna’s situation is not easily replicable because it is built on a unique overlap of leadership capability, organizational maturity, AI fluency, and an existing executive team member capable of tackling them all.

Why this model won’t work for everyone

It is tempting to view Moderna’s move as a bellwether for the future as AI takes a stronger and deeper foothold within enterprises. However, broader enterprise trends suggest otherwise.

AI adoption is still nascent in many companies, and even where it is growing, the tools are often siloed within specific functions like customer support, marketing automation, or supply chain optimization. The level of enterprisewide AI integration that Moderna exhibits is the exception, not the rule. Most of the AI adoption is currently happening based on the AI capabilities that traditional IT and SaaS vendors are building into their offerings, rather than specific and targeted AI implementations being custom-built within an enterprise for a specific workflow and purpose.

In addition, organizational design is historically slow to evolve. The risks of combining IT and HR, which are two departments with vastly different cultures, compliance requirements, and performance metrics, are nontrivial. Even at Moderna, the change followed layoffs and leadership turnover, suggesting that it was at least partly a restructuring driven by internal realignment rather than a proactive, strategic, leading indicator of a wider organizational model.

It is also important to note that cautionary tales are still emerging with regard to AI adoption. Gizmodo recently reported that Klarna, a fintech company that once leaned heavily into AI to replace human customer service, is now hiring back human staff due to AI shortfalls in empathy and nuance. The implication is that while AI can augment, it rarely replaces human judgment wholesale, particularly in functions like HR that are inherently nuanced in human interactions and interpersonal relationships. (See also: Legacy federal government HR systems: A billion dollar problem, says Workday survey.)

The CIO Perspective: Focus on partnership, not merger

As CIOs, we should see Moderna’s move not as a threat to our domain but as a signal of evolving partnerships and collaboration. The CIO’s role has been evolving to become more strategic and more cross-functional for quite some time, and this is only growing in importance as AI redefines how work gets done. But merging with HR is not a necessary step to lead in this transformation. Instead, CIOs should work closely with CHROs to establish clear collaboration models where AI-driven decisions are transparent, ethical, and human-centered.

CIOs will continue to own the architecture, security, and integration of AI platforms. HR will continue to shape the experience of employees (and now AI agents) within that digital environment. These domains must collaborate deeply, but structural integration is not necessary and, in most cases, counterproductive.

Moderna’s HR-IT fusion is innovative, but it’s also deeply situational and very unique. It reflects the specific capabilities of its leadership, the depth of its AI integration, and its willingness to experiment. For most organizations, the future lies not in merging these departments, but in aligning them and building collaborative relationships with shared goals, mutual understanding, and the right balance between human and machine capabilities.

So, while the Moderna case is worth watching, it should be viewed as a singular experiment, not a template. The CIO and CHRO will be powerful allies in the age of AI, but they are still best kept in separate seats at the table.

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Dr. Ken Knapton is an adjunct research advisor for IDC’s IT Executive Programs (IEP). He is a thought leader in enterprise tech debt, big data governance, and agile delivery principles. And he is an accomplished technology leader with extensive experience in leading IT functions, driving efficiency, enabling workflow automation, and delivering improved business outcomes. He has held C-level IT roles in various industries for the past two decades, with a focus on regulatory compliance as well as modernizing, maturing, and securing IT organizations. With his strong focus on people, process, and technology (in that order) he has helped to elevate the IT operations in organizations such as Merrick Bank, Content Watch, Access Data, W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, Credit.com, and Avalon Healthcare. Dr. Knapton helped design and architect the global banking system that is currently in use for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, supporting 127 different currencies in as many countries.