How Chime’s People Team Is Using AI to Transform Support, Hiring, and Growth

Part of the “AI at Chime” series spotlighting how AI is reshaping the way we build, collaborate, and support our members—and each other.

AI is now core to how Chime supports not just members, but employees. Across internal operations, recruiting, and talent development, Chime’s People team has embedded AI into critical workflows—unlocking speed, consistency, and capacity at scale.

Because when Chimers thrive, our members do too. Empowering our teams to move faster, make better decisions, and focus on what matters most helps us deliver on our mission: to unite everyday people to unlock their financial progress.

“Since launching our AI-powered service model, support for Chimers has become faster, simpler, and more scalable,” says Sarah Wagener, Chief People Officer. “Today, roughly 75% of internal People inquiries are resolved through automated, self-service support without requiring human escalation—giving Chimers faster answers to everyday questions and freeing up our People partners to focus on higher-impact support for our staff. Escalations to our People team have dropped from 100% to just 17%—a shift that creates more space for developmental work, strategic support, and culture-building initiatives that connect us directly to each other and to Chime’s mission.”

What’s more, recruiting has also seen efficiency gains: time to hire is now up to 17% faster, while decision-making remains fully human-led and candidate experience remains strong.

At Chime, the People team’s mission is to create a supportive, high-trust environment where every Chimer can grow, thrive, and do their best work. That means going beyond HR operations to deliver meaningful experiences—from onboarding and development to compensation, culture, and beyond.

That’s not just good for culture—it’s core to Chime’s business. When Chimers are supported, they can better support our members.

To deepen this impact and scale support as Chime grows, the team launched a new tiered-service model in mid-2025 powered by automation and AI. The goal: streamline how Chimers get help, while freeing up People partners to focus on higher-value work that connects directly to Chime’s mission: to unite everyday people to unlock their financial progress.

Between June and October:

• 7,325 inquiries were resolved across Slack and Jira
• 47% of Chimers engaged directly with Optimus Chime, the team’s AI assistant, which provides guidance, but not decisions—and adoption is trending upward each month
• 75% of all inquiries were resolved instantly through automation, no human escalation needed
• Previously, the vast majority of People-related inquiries required human involvement. Today, only about 17% of inquiries escalate to a People team member

Because helping Chimers do their best work—faster, with fewer barriers—means we’re better equipped to build for members, listen to their needs, and deliver meaningful progress.

This shift is about more than efficiency. It means Chimers get faster answers to everyday questions—while People leaders gain capacity to focus on strategy, employee programs, and long-term impact. Fewer escalations = more time for coaching, development, and creating an environment where people and performance can thrive.

We’re using AI not just to accelerate hiring—but also to make it better. With a focus on fairness, consistency, and candidate experience, the team has embedded AI thoughtfully across the recruiting process.

A new AI-powered interview platform, Brighthire, helps interviewers capture richer insights, submit feedback faster, and supports more structured, consistent evaluation—all while delivering a more consistent experience for candidates.

• Recruiters use approved AI tools in line with Chime’s AI governance standards to draft job descriptions, build interview plans, and create screeners—improving alignment, speed, and quality at every step
• Scorecard completion time improved by up to 17%
• In functions like Legal, Marketing, and Data Analytics, interviewers saved 10+ hours per role on scorecard completion

Importantly, AI never replaces human decision-making. Tools are optional and designed to support, not substitute, the thoughtful, people-first approach that defines hiring at Chime.

AI is also enhancing how Chimers grow—starting with onboarding and continuing through performance.

• During 2025 mid-year reviews, Chimers and managers voluntarily exchanged nearly 10,000 messages using GPT tools designed to prepare for check-ins
• In October, Chime introduced a new AI onboarding module, giving new hires a foundational understanding of how Chime uses AI responsibly across the business

AI is helping Chime’s People team deliver faster support, improve how hiring happens, and scale talent development with greater personalization and consistency. The result? A workplace where Chimers can do their best work—more time for problem-solving, deeper focus on member needs, and a culture of trust and momentum.

As automation handles more repetitive tasks, the team is shifting its focus toward high-impact programs that shape the employee experience—and strengthen our ability to deliver on its mission.

What’s next? Continuing to build AI systems and leverage agentic capabilities that help every Chimer thrive—from day one to day 1,000.