AI and HR: How AI is threatening my HR career (and why I’m not worried)

Hello, Dear readers

Welcome to my HR corner.

We’ve all heard the rumors about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing our jobs. It’s a scary thought, especially in a world where big corporations are quick to hop on the AI bandwagon.

But is it time to panic? Not quite.

For today’s edition, I wanted to write something light and different, maybe a funny story from my work experience or a list of tips for landing your dream job. But then I came across a tweet that made me rethink my whole career choice.

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The tweet was from IBM, announcing their plans to replace 7,800 jobs with AI, after the CEO made a statement saying most back-office positions such as HR and accounting would be replaced. He said he could easily see 30% of that getting replaced by AI and automation over a five year period. That’s a lot of people losing their jobs to machines!

That’s a scary thought, isn’t it? Especially for us HR professionals in Nigeria, where AI is still a relatively new and emerging field. How worried should we be about big corporations hopping on this trend? Are we going to be obsolete soon? What does the future of work look like for us?

First of all, let me clarify what AI is. AI stands for artificial intelligence, which is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. AI can perform tasks such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and natural language processing. Sounds impressive, right? 

Well, before we panic, let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture. AI is not a magic bullet that can do everything humans can do. It has its limitations and challenges, especially in a complex and diverse context like Nigeria. AI is not very good at understanding cultural nuances, ethical dilemmas, emotional intelligence, creativity, and human relationships. These are all essential skills for HR professionals, who deal with people as their core business.

AI can also be biased, inaccurate, or unreliable, depending on the quality of the data and algorithms it uses. In Nigeria, we have issues with data availability, accessibility, and quality, which can affect the performance of AI systems. We also have issues with infrastructure, connectivity, security, and regulation, which can pose challenges for AI adoption and deployment.

Moreso, there are some of the qualities that make human workers unique and valuable. Especially in HR, where we deal with people’s emotions, motivations, aspirations, and conflicts. We need to have interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, and ethical judgment. We need to be able to communicate effectively, build trust, motivate others, resolve disputes, and foster collaboration.

AI cannot do these things as well as humans can. AI cannot understand the nuances of human behavior, culture, or context. AI cannot empathize with people’s feelings or needs. AI cannot inspire people or create a sense of belonging. AI cannot handle complex or ambiguous situations that require creativity or innovation.

I also believe that it can create new opportunities for us as HR professionals in Nigeria. As AI becomes more prevalent and influential in our society and economy, we need to be proactive and prepared. We need to embrace AI as a tool, not a threat. We need to educate ourselves on what AI can and cannot do, and how we can use it effectively and ethically. We need to collaborate with other stakeholders in the AI ecosystem, such as developers, researchers, policymakers, and civil society. And we need to advocate for our role and value as HR professionals in the age of AI. 

Furthermore, big corporations adopting AI for their HR doesn’t necessarily mean small and medium businesses cannot benefit from the technology. There are solutions that can cater to businesses of any size and make the technology accessible to all.

We also need to be able to guide and support our employees and organizations through the changes and challenges that AI brings. We need to be able to help them develop their skills and competencies for the future of work. We need to be able to foster a culture of innovation and learning that embraces AI as an ally rather than an enemy.

My position right now is that we don’t have to fear AI or resist it. We can embrace it and use it to our advantage.

That’s all for this edition of my newsletter. I hope you enjoyed reading it and found it informative and entertaining. Please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback with me in the comments section below or via email. Thank you for your time and attention.

Until next time,

Your friendly HR expert