At Cornerstone Spark 2025 Las Vegas, thousands of HR leaders came together to learn, connect, and inspire greatness in one another. Cornerstone Spark was built around a profound idea: when you invest in people, you unlock performance. Every session, conversation, and connection reinforced that truth.
From breakthrough product launches, focused experiences, and global insights to energizing keynotes and bold partnerships, the event lit a path forward for talent, learning, and workforce transformation.
The main stage buzzed with energy as Cornerstone leaders unveiled what’s next. Cornerstone CEO Himanshu Palsule opened with an exploration of how learning and the workforce at large have evolved over the company’s first 25 years. Learning today must be in the flow of work, immersive, skill-driven, and connected to broader career development. Himanshu outlined how Cornerstone is rising to meet this challenge with Cornerstone Galaxy, and through the Cornerstone Learn, Elevate, and Transform products, which enable customers to take advantage of the exponential value of Cornerstone’s integrated suite of solutions.
Key takeaway: Learn more about how Cornerstone Galaxy products are helping drive the next frontier of talent and workforce transformation.
Chief Product Officer Karthik Suri then shared product innovations for an AI-powered, skills-first vision built on innovation and people-first thinking. Karthik, together with leaders from the product organization, outlined the criticality of intelligence, multidimensional experiences, and skills data in creating and executing strategic workforce plans. And of course, we explored what is possible with AI, from assistive AI here to help the admin or manager today, to agentic AI, where the future of the workforce includes humans working alongside AI agents.
Key takeaway: The future of work is here. Explore reimagined experiences and AI-powered skills innovation with Cornerstone Galaxy AI.
We heard directly from our customers on how they’re navigating change and driving impact in a rapidly evolving workplace. Chief Customer Officer Toya Del Valle was joined on stage by Michael Wynn from Bank of America and John Failla from KPMG for an insightful conversation about transformation in action.
And inspiring customer voices continued with Kyle Forrest of Deloitte and Stephanie Fitzpatrick of UnitedHealth Group, who shared how leading organizations are redefining work—balancing structure with flexibility and using skills to unlock purpose, growth, and potential at scale.
Toya explored the difference between forced and unforced change, and how organizations can proactively embrace transformation rather than react to it. Through real-world examples and emerging trends, the presentation showcased how today’s challenges, from AI integration to workforce reskilling, can become powerful catalysts for long-term success.
Key takeaway: In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, the most impactful organizations are those that lead with a human-first mindset, designing the experiences we would want for ourselves as learners, employees, and people.
A standout session featured Cornerstone Chief People Officer Carina Cortez in a no-holds-barred conversation with creator and advisor Corporate Natalie and HR Besties podcast co-host Jamie Jackson. Together, they tackled today’s biggest HR challenges—from generational clashes and AI anxiety to the ever-changing skills landscape—blending humor, honesty, and hot takes in a lively, podcast-style format.
Key takeaway: Business leaders and HR shouldn’t be afraid to be authentic when engaging with employees, including using humor or being vulnerable.
The stage also featured powerful insights from globally recognized analysts including Josh Bersin (The Josh Bersin Company), Gina Smith (IDC), and Stacey Harris (Sapient Insights Group). Their session offered an outside-in perspective on the trends shaping the HR tech landscape, from AI and data governance to workforce strategy. Each provided actionable frameworks that attendees could take back to their organizations and put into practice.
Key Takeaway: Organizations that align technology investments with evolving skills needs will be best positioned to lead in the new era of work.
Laszlo Bock, advisor at General Catalyst and former SVP of People Operations at Google, shared the benefits, struggles, and mysteries of GenAI and LLMs, and what it means for HR and the workforce at large. He explored the complex realities of how AI may disrupt a wide variety of jobs and how it will continue to shift the skills needed and the way work gets done.
Key takeaway: HR should have an owning and leading role on AI within organizations because its biggest impact is on people!
The event closed with a mind-bending performance by the master mentalist Lior Suchard, reminding us that transformation can be as surprising as it is inspiring.
At Cornerstone Spark, Cornerstone unveiled two major partnerships with Salesforce and Microsoft. These integrations embed AI-powered workforce agent actions directly into enterprise tools, helping organizations plan smarter, act faster, and stay ahead of change.
Product innovation also took center stage with new advancements in the Cornerstone Galaxy suite. Updates included immersive learning, predictive talent strategies, mobile-first design, and AI-driven insights—tools that empower organizations to reimagine workforce readiness and talent development.
Key takeaway: Cornerstone is at the forefront of agentic AI, not just embedding AI agents as a part of Cornerstone Galaxy but partnering with some of the world’s biggest brands to train and enable an AI agentic workforce.
Global Insight, Real-Time Trends
Two executive sessions offered timely perspectives on today’s evolving priorities.
In Davos Debrief: From Trade to Tariffs, AI and Skills – What’s Top of Mind for World Leaders, Himanshu Palsule and R “Ray” Wang of Constellation Research shared reflections from the 2025 World Economic Forum. The session covered economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, and the rising influence of AI in workforce decision-making.
In Adapt to Thrive: Workforce Agility in a Fast-Changing Skills Landscape, leaders from Sanofi, DaVita, Deloitte, Cisco, and Cornerstone discussed building agile, future-ready workforces through strategic upskilling, AI adoption, and flexible planning.
Attendees had access to over 50 breakout sessions, workshops, and product demos designed to put strategy into action. Topics ranged from performance and content design to skills intelligence and culture building.
The Spark Expo Hall was a hub of innovation, featuring live product demos and partner showcases from our valued sponsors, including Titanium sponsor Deloitte, Platinum sponsor Educe, and more. The high-energy Inspire Theater kept the momentum going with fast-paced talks and actionable takeaways.
The Cornerstone Foundation also had a booth, showcasing how we’re empowering nonprofits and humanitarian aid professionals worldwide through learning, development, and technology.
A highlight of the event was the Cornerstone Galaxy Awards, celebrating customers driving impact through innovation, leadership, and bold strategy.
This year’s global honorees included:
- Excellence in AI Innovation and Adoption: US Bank, DXC Technology, Hapag-Lloyd
- Excellence in Holistic Learning: Panda Restaurant Group, ASB, Samsung Business Academy, METRO AG
- Excellence in Holistic Learning and Experience: UnitedHealth Group, BlueScope, EXL, Stellantis
- Excellence in Learning Content Engagement: County of Orange, Satellite Office, Konica Minolta
- Excellence in Performance Management and Mobility: Interfor, SBS Bank, Sarens Group
- Excellence in Skills Adoption and Impact: The Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Enphase Energy, Robert Bosch, The Collinson Group
- Excellence in Workforce Agility Strategy: AdvanceNet Labs, Suntory, Borusan Cat
Special congratulations to the honorees who accepted their awards live in Las Vegas: AdvanceNet Labs, ASB, County of Orange, Panda Restaurant Group, The Western & Southern Financial Group, UnitedHealth Group, and US Bank.
These organizations are leading the way in redefining talent strategy in a rapidly evolving world of work. Their stories demonstrate how purposeful technology, paired with bold leadership, can transform how we develop, engage, and retain talent.
Nominations for the 2025 Galaxy Awards open this September. We can’t wait to see the innovation, impact, and brilliance you’ve been working on, and we hope you’ll apply.
Keep an eye on your inbox—nominations open soon, and we can’t wait to celebrate your success at next year’s Cornerstone Spark.
Cornerstone Spark 2025 Las Vegas set the tone—but the journey continues. Join us at Cornerstone Spark London, June 17–19, for more innovation, inspiration, and future-focused conversations.
Register now and be part of what’s next.
