Welcome back to this week’s P | A | C | T news, your newsletter by Tech Talent North.
We talk a lot about AI transforming HR, but what does it really mean for the future of our work?
This question has never been more pressing, as tech companies face an influx of AI tools and mounting pressure to do more with less.
This week, we turn to Erin Campbell, CHRL and COO at Altis Recruitment, who offers a grounded, human-first perspective on what AI will (and won’t) change within People and Culture.
Despite headlines about robots taking over, Erin reminds us that the future of HR is about becoming more human, not less.
Key takeaways:
- AI will not replace HR; it will empower HR to focus on meaningful, strategic work.
- Adopting AI allows HR to scale personalization, not just efficiency.
- Humans are still better at hiring humans and connection remains essential.
- The skills of the future? Creative thinking, adaptability, and communication.
As tech’s talent challenges evolve, Erin’s insights remind us that HR’s greatest advantage lies in the distinctly human capabilities that technology can never replicate.
When IBM announced last May plans to replace hundreds of HR workers with AI agents, it sparked fear across the industry and reignited a question many HR leaders have been quietly asking themselves: “Are we next?”
But Erin Campbell, CHRL and COO at Altis Recruitment, has a different take.
“I actually think the role of HR professionals is going to be more critical than ever… AI will empower HR professionals to do more meaningful, creative and strategic work, but I don’t think it will replace them.”
It’s a reminder that while technology can change processes, it doesn’t replace the people-centered work that lies at the heart of HR. In fact, as Erin sees it, the rise of AI is an opportunity for HR to step into its highest potential yet.
The Skills That Matter Most
If AI can handle many technical tasks, what will set talent apart in the future?
According to Erin, the answer is clear: human skills.
“As AI takes on more of those technical tasks, I think employers will be looking for talent with the right mix of soft skills and technical skills to help them get the most out of the technology.”
Skills like adaptability, creative thinking, and strong communication are in higher demand. These capabilities enable individuals to leverage technology effectively, think critically about its applications, and write better prompts for tools like ChatGPT, making them more impactful in their roles.
Erin’s takeaway for today’s talent and tomorrow’s leaders?
The better your soft skills, the better you can leverage technology to enhance your work and your impact.
From Admin To Strategy
Today’s HR teams are navigating heavier workloads than ever before: hybrid work complexities, rising mental health needs, rapid skills evolution in tech and more.
It’s a lot.
And while AI often gets positioned as a job-taker, Erin argues its real value lies in freeing People and Culture from the tasks that keep teams stuck in reactive mode, enabling them to step into more strategic, human-focused work.
“There’s a huge volume of work that’s coming to HR. So, more than ever, I think HR professionals can really leverage AI to be a strategic enabler in the workplace.”
AI can draft learning frameworks, personalize growth plans, handle resume screening, schedule interviews, and manage policy documentation at a speed and scale HR teams can’t match alone.
These efficiencies are the gateway to People and Culture leaders spending more time building cultures, aligning talent with business strategy, and encouraging the human connections that fuel thriving workplaces.
In Erin’s view, AI is the engine that allows HR to trade admin for impact.
Humans Hire Humans
It’s tempting to hand over parts of the hiring process to AI, especially when resumes flood in by the hundreds, but Erin offers a clear caution:
“Humans are better than AI at hiring humans.”
While AI can help sort through a high number of applications, she warns that algorithms can unintentionally reinforce bias, narrowing talent pools and threatening organizational diversity. At Altis Recruitment, they’ve seen firsthand how generative AI tools can make candidate applications look nearly identical, requiring extra validation by human recruiters to ensure authenticity.
Beyond systems and efficiencies, candidates themselves are craving authentic, human connection, especially in a hiring process that often feels automated and cold.
“People are craving more human connection in this age of AI,” she says.
That’s why, at Altis, AI supports the process, but it doesn’t replace the human conversations that reveal true fit. Face-to-face interviews, context-based assessments, and insights gained by getting related in person remain irreplaceable components of a hiring process designed to serve both candidates and employers well.
Preparing The Workforce For AI
AI isn’t just changing HR’s work; it’s reshaping how entire organizations operate. Erin sees People and Culture as essential in preparing the workforce for this shift, ensuring employees feel secure, skilled, and seen during the transition.
“HR already plays a big part in managing how we communicate what we’re doing with AI, why we’re doing it, and how it’s going to help people be more effective and successful in their careers,” she says. “And as AI continues to evolve and changes even more jobs, this element of HR’s role will become more critical in countering rising AI anxiety.”
From training employees to use AI tools responsibly to countering fears about job loss, HR will help guide the AI transition, ensuring teams understand why AI adoption is happening and how it can enhance, not replace, their roles.
Erin also shares a future-facing insight: the concept of managing a “digital workforce” alongside a human workforce. AI agents will require skilled humans to lead them, providing clear goals, prompts, and oversight—roles HR will increasingly step into as the tech evolves.
For People and Culture leaders, this is an opportunity to lead change with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to people-first transitions.
HR That Stays Human
In a fast-changing world, where technology is continually transforming how we work, HR’s greatest strength (now and in the future) will always be in its humanity: the ability to build trust, encourage connection and create workplaces where people feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive.