The Humanist
Le roi est mort, vive le roi! People need People, Organizations included.
Why AI is bringing the Human back to HR: a personal reflection on my own journey, the rise of AI, and why our future might rely on the distant past.
Why AI is bringing the Human back to HR
Today, while reading through my feed, an open post by Fabio Bocchi on LinkedIn stopped me in my tracks. It perfectly articulated something that has been brewing in my mind for a while, triggering a cascade of reflections on the current state of our profession.
The HR world is a universe full of intricate nuances, and how an organization interprets the role of HR tells you absolutely everything you need to know about its corporate soul. Right now, the biggest mirror being held up to that soul is Artificial Intelligence. Personally, I welcome AI with open arms, provided it is embraced as an evolutionary step, rather than just a trivial quick escape from problems.
Fabio's post inspired me to share a deeply personal reflection on my own journey, the rise of AI, and why our future might just rely on the distant past. I hope my personal journey might help you to realize your unique human power.
Atoning for an Original Sin
Coming from a background in the humanities, I have always been fascinated by the ephemeral, beautifully complex world of the arts. Yet, for a decade of my career, I carried this background like an "original sin" that I needed to atone for.
To survive and prove my worth in a fast-paced corporate environment, I used to set my true essence aside. I dove headfirst into the rigid world of administrative technicalities, constantly trying to ride the wave of the newest software and optimization tools. It was pure survival mode, adapting to a system that valued mechanical efficiency over human complexity. Perfectionism pushed me to spend extra time and weekends on tutorials, impeccable Excel formulas, dashboards, training on best transactional performance. And the control over each step and micro-task cost me energies I would have better used for reflections and inspirations.
The AI Wake-Up Call
Then, artificial intelligence arrived.
Instead of making me feel obsolete, AI forcefully reminded me of a vital truth: this compulsive, exhausting investment in purely technical skills no longer serves a purpose. The machines have won that race, and that is actually a good thing.
When the software can handle the spreadsheets, the scheduling, and the administration, what is left? What truly makes a difference?
- Abstraction
- The interpretation of subtle details
- Empathy in communication
Trust and kindness can never be automated. These are the skills that make us fundamentally human, and they are becoming the rarest and most valuable assets in the modern workplace.
Non-binary Colors of Human Energy
Because of this shift, my daily approach to work has fundamentally changed. Today, I happily use or delegate transactional tasks — and everything that holds little actual value — to AI whenever time and budget allow. Instead, I use my freed-up time to go back to my roots, drawing inspiration from Sophocles, Kandinskij, Protagoras… and applying the timeless lessons of the humanities to HR.
This renewed appreciation for human complexity has also naturally led me to my newest professional chapter: becoming an Insights Discovery Practitioner.
While AI thrives on black-and-white binary code, human beings are wonderfully vibrant. The Insights Discovery methodology is built on the harmony of 4 color energies and 8 personality types. Recognizing and balancing this harmony isn't just a team-building exercise; it is the absolute key to organizational success. By understanding these diverse energies, we can decode how individuals prefer to interact, communicate, and solve problems. When we harmonize these 8 types, we create teams that are not only efficient, but deeply empathetic and resilient.
The Power of Pushback: Lessons from the Chorus
I want to end with a crucial takeaway for the corporate world. As AI takes over the transactional, companies have an even greater need for challenging HR professionals who understand these human dynamics.
If we look back at classical tragedies, the narrative arc is strikingly familiar. The rulers and dictators who drove their people into absolute ruin and disruption were almost always the ones who let hubris take over. Their downfall was inevitably sealed the moment they stopped listening to the collective voice of the chorus and ignored the stern admonitions of their wise counselors.
Organizations today need people who will act as those modern-day counselors — professionals who will:
- Raise difficult issues
- Navigate behavioral gray areas
- Have the courage to say "NO"
A corporate environment devoid of pushback — one that eliminates room for complexity and diverse color energies in favor of frictionless agreement — will undoubtedly perform exceptionally well in the short term. But make no mistake: just like in the tragedies of old, without the critical thinking and challenging friction that human HR brings, that same company will collapse at the very first hurdle.
Let's let AI handle the transactions. It's time for us to leverage on humanity.