Artificial intelligence is increasingly taking on various administrative roles, including payroll, product development, onboarding, recruitment, and even conducting safety seminars. However, many would argue that human involvement remains essential in these areas. After all, human resource professionals navigate systems designed by people, and the personal touch is crucial, even amid rapid automation.
At the Imagination in Action event held at MIT in April, a panel discussion shed light on the future of HR and office work in the context of emerging agentic swarms. The panel, moderated by Michael Hayes from Practical.ai, featured experts including Lisa Simon from Revelio Labs, Dirk Jonker from Crunchr, Michael Krebs, a co-founder of Goldstar AI, and AI consultant Amit Mohindra.
During the discussion, Simon presented findings from surveys that reflect employee sentiments in this evolving economy. She noted, “When we really zoom in on what people are saying, positively and negatively, skill development is actually perceived positively. However, the workload and workplace culture, particularly overload, tend to diminish overall sentiment.” Jonker elaborated on this by stating, “Although AI is a hot topic, the internal compliance and guidelines need to catch up. Real progress will be made when we observe multiple agents collaborating in networks.” He highlighted three main challenges AI must overcome: uneven implementation, insufficient investment in technology, and a lack of necessary skills. “If we examine the educational background of current HR leaders, it often lacks training in strategy, finance, and analytics. There’s a need to catch up in these areas,” he asserted.
Mohindra emphasized the historical challenges within HR departments in embracing data-driven approaches. “Most HR professionals didn't enter the field to manage spreadsheets or develop models,” he explained. “The shift towards a more analytical and digital HR practice has been a lengthy journey.” He posited that there exists a significant opportunity for HR to evolve now, provided leaders approach it as an adaptive challenge able to navigate the uncertainties inherent in the landscape. “HR presents a fertile ground for various types of AI, whether they are analytical, generative, or agentic,” Mohindra added.
Krebs later discussed the potential of swarming AI agents to enhance productivity. “By combining agents with human workers, we can significantly boost an individual's output without requiring them to work longer hours,” he said. Swarms can take over routine, deterministic tasks, allowing humans to focus on broader, strategic concerns. “This approach refines tasks down to what truly matters for the individual at the center of these agentic swarms,” he elaborated, highlighting that the programming is designed to align with personal preferences, rather than yielding generic responses.
The conversation also touched upon the significance of mentoring and leadership in the era of AI. Simon remarked, “Mentoring is becoming increasingly important. We often question whether AI will replace human roles, yet it has highlighted leaders who may not have prioritized maximizing human potential from the start. The conventional leadership model, where a leader articulates a compelling vision, must now evolve into adaptive leadership. Adaptive leaders facilitate organizational learning amidst uncertainty, enabling teams to adapt faster than the technology evolves.”
Jonker added the importance of a consolidated vision across departments. He noted that within large organizations, there are often siloed departments for HR, finance, and operations. “The true power of AI lies in its ability to bridge these distinct areas,” he stated.
Returning to the concept of AI swarms, Krebs conveyed that humans should leverage large language models (LLMs) to streamline their focus on strategic, high-cognitive tasks, alleviating the burden of mundane work. Hayes and the panel noted the risk of mental fatigue when leaders become preoccupied with high-level decision-making all the time. “As organizations have engaged in complex thinking, it appears we might actually need simpler tasks for mental breaks during our work,” Krebs said, acknowledging a newfound understanding among professionals.
In this transformative era, society is learning what truly matters as we navigate the challenges posed by advanced AI technologies, which some now refer to as “God-like AI.”
