Technological transformations redefined the concept of “going to work”: The office was no longer the only setting and remote and hybrid models were consolidated, going from 5.4% to 17.4% of the global workforce according to the ILO. This flexibility expanded opportunities and allowed companies to access more talent – the IDB estimates that up to 25% of jobs in Latin America could be done remotely – but it also forces them to rethink organizational culture: how to lead distributed teams, communicate objectives, sustain motivation and measure commitment without the physical reference of the office. To adapt, many organizations are moving towards more agile and horizontal structures, which require new skills – collaboration, critical thinking, digital literacy and effective communication – as relevant as the technical competencies to coordinate diverse and distributed work dynamics.
A decisive actor is added to this scenario: artificial intelligence. Intelligent systems are already involved in tasks that go far beyond administrative automation. They assist in personnel selection, analyze performance patterns, predict turnover, recommend customized training, and manage benefits platforms. A McKinsey report estimates that generative AI can automate activities equivalent to 60–70% of working time in various occupations, although only about 10% of jobs could be eliminated completely. The conclusion is clear: rather than replacing, technology redefines.
The so-called agentic AI represents a qualitative leap: it no longer only assists human tasks, but is also capable of planning, executing and evaluating actions autonomously within previously defined parameters.. This means you can identify a problem, select the appropriate strategy to solve it, and act without immediate human intervention. This capacity opens up unprecedented opportunities in areas such as talent management, resource administration or work organization, where automation is no longer limited to repetitive tasks, but scales towards more complex and strategic processes.
This advance often arouses the fear of “losing the human touch,” but it also forces us to recognize that “the human” is not always neutral. In critical areas such as personnel selection, project assignment or performance evaluation, unconscious biases operate that can reproduce inequities or limit diversity. AI, on the other hand, can be trained with inclusive matrices that reduce the influence of systematic biases, guarantee more consistent decisions and open space for fairer processes. The challenge is not to oppose humanity and technology, but to design systems where agentic AI amplifies the best of human judgment and minimizes its distortions, reinforcing equity and transparency in decision making.
However, these advances raise fundamental ethical questions: How to take care of privacy?How to ensure fair decisions? How to avoid biases or automatisms that could affect professional careers? The technological leap is enormous, but so is the responsibility. Because, even between algorithms and automations, technology does not replace people. It can process large volumes of information, but it does not replace prudent judgment, intuition, creativity, empathy, negotiation or the ability to make decisions with human sense. Therefore, rather than eliminating functions, this revolution is enhancing capabilities, freeing up time for strategic tasks and opening space for new professional profiles.
Companies that understand this logic are creating work environments where people work with technology, not under technology. There, intelligent systems complement skills, strengthen decision-making and allow more flexible and sustainable work models.
We are facing a profound change. A critical point in this process—and one of the biggest challenges for people management areas—is the impact on starting positions. Many of these entry-level tasks, historically filled by young people looking for their first work experience, are among the most likely to be automated by AI systems. If these positions disappear or are radically transformed, a key question arises: How will young people be able to acquire experience, develop professional criteria and build careers within organizations?
Companies are beginning to explore answers: internship programs based on real projects, accelerated rotations, intergenerational mentoring, dual training and continuous learning schemes that allow new talent to be incorporated directly into higher value-added tasks. But the transition is not easy. It requires redesigning entry models, redefining what it means to “learn on the job,” and building environments where initial training does not depend on tasks that will soon be automated.
In short, the work of the future—which is already present—is a shared process between people and intelligent systems that learn together, provide feedback and complement each other. A model that requires ethical leadership, inclusive vision and human sensitivity. Those who understand it in time will be better prepared not only for what is coming, but also to build more creative, flexible and sustainable organizations.
* Director of the Family and Business Conciliation Center at IAE Business School.
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by Patricia Debeljuh
