The CEO's View: Toby Williams on AI and What's Next for HCM
Eps. #204 Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
Every HR leader is being told to adopt AI faster than they can evaluate it. The harder question isn't whether to use it. It's whether the company behind it can be trusted with the most sensitive data your organization has.
In this episode…
Why Paylocity built Ignite Hub to give HR teams visibility and control over every AI agent running on the platform
How client feedback on high volume recruiting led Paylocity to acquire the Grayscale application
What happens to client data once AI enters the picture, and why it never trains outside models
Hit “Play” to gain valuable insights that can transform your HR practices!
Guest(s): Toby Williams, President and CEO, Paylocity
Guest(s): Toby Williams, President and CEO, Paylocity
As President and CEO at Paylocity, Toby is responsible for articulating Paylocity’s vision, driving the company’s go-to-market strategy, and ensuring operational excellence across the company. Key areas of focus include serving our clients, supporting our people and teams, capitalizing on our growth opportunities, and delivering our vision of a modern HCM platform. He joined Paylocity in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer before being promoted to President and Co-CEO in 2022. Most recently, he was named sole CEO in August 2024.
Toby came to Paylocity with a breadth of software operating experience, most recently serving as Chief Product and Strategy Officer at global higher education software leader Ellucian. He also brings significant payroll and HCM industry experience, having led mergers, acquisitions and corporate development at Paychex from 2006 to 2011. He started his career as a securities and M&A lawyer in D.C. and New York and worked as an investment banker at Citigroup in New York.
Toby earned a B.A. from Houghton College and an M.B.A and J.D. from Ohio State University.
