Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of presenting my own transformational leadership journey to the global project leaders and administrators Strategic Management Workshop at the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) InnovationsLab, held at the International Training Centre in Turin, Italy. The town-hall-style discussion provided deep insights into leadership practices, growth reframing, and the shifting nature of work in the digital age.
AI Impact on Jobs and the Evolving Workforce
Conversations extended beyond the formal session, highlighting concerns about job displacement due to digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). While fears of widespread job loss persist, historical precedents—such as the transitions brought by steam engines, electricity, and computers—suggest that while some jobs become obsolete, many more evolve.
When disruption occurs, the value creation process transforms at a granular level. This includes shifts from routine to creative tasks, traditional to hybrid roles, and in-house to digitally mediated work. OD practitioners must recognize these subtle but critical shifts, as failure to update job descriptions, process content, and titles may inadvertently render roles obsolete, particularly in smaller (and even large public service) organizations.
Recognizing Process Shifts: The Rise of Skills-Based Work
The evolving job market increasingly prioritizes skills over rigid job titles. AI-driven workplaces demand adaptability and multidisciplinary competencies rather than adherence to predefined and traditional roles. Key implications include:
1. New Job Titles Reflecting AI Integration.
AI is reshaping traditional roles, leading to new job titles that reflect this evolution. Examples include:
• From Data Entry Clerk to Data Integrity Specialist – As automation assumes basic data entry, professionals shift toward ensuring data accuracy.
• From Customer Service Representative to Customer Experience Manager – AI-driven insights enhance customer interactions.
• From Marketing Coordinator to Digital Marketing Strategist – AI-powered analytics inform marketing strategies.
• From Financial Analyst to AI-Driven Financial Consultant – Professionals now interpret AI-generated financial insights.
• From IT Support Technician to AI Systems Support Specialist – Expertise in AI infrastructure is increasingly necessary.
2. Skills as the New Workforce Currency
Organizations and professionals must embrace a skills-first approach, necessitating:
• Dynamic Job Markets – New roles such as “Prompt Engineers” and “AI Product Managers” emphasize competencies over job classifications.
• Continuous Learning – A lifelong learning mindset is critical for maintaining relevance.
• Flexibility and Adaptability – Workforces are shifting from rigid specialization to multidisciplinary proficiency.
The OD Imperatives
The transition from job titles to skills necessitates fundamental shifts in organizational strategies. AI and automation will not eliminate human roles but will redefine them, favoring professionals who cultivate diverse skill sets, embrace continuous learning, and adapt to new challenges. Organizations must foster adaptability to leverage AI for innovation, productivity, and workforce resilience.
Workforce Strategies in the AI Era
AI-driven changes require organizations to rethink recruitment, training, and workforce structuring:
• Skills-Based Hiring – Emphasizing competency-based hiring over job titles and degrees. AI skills like machine learning, data analytics, and AI model training will have more values over traditional technical skills like fixed programming techniques requiring manual updates.
• Upskilling and Reskilling – Encouraging AI-related skill development. Managing dynamic systems and unstructured data and AI agents in lieu of applying deterministic algorithms to predefined problems. Leveraging big data and machine learning for decision-making over structured data processing using predefined queries.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Structuring teams to leverage diverse expertise. Developing generative AI for creative problem-solving instead of doing predefined tasks with limited flexibility.
Preparing the AI-Powered Workforce
To navigate AI-driven workforce changes, both individuals and organizations must take proactive steps:
1. Invest in AI Literacy and Digital Reskilling – Understanding AI capabilities and limitations is essential for all professionals.
2. Foster a Growth Mindset – A willingness to learn and adapt will be critical for career longevity.
3. Develop Hybrid Skill Sets – Integrating AI proficiency with problem-solving, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
4. Encourage Continuous Learning – Providing structured opportunities for upskilling and adaptation to emerging roles.
AI is reshaping the nature of work, shifting the focus from predefined job titles to a dynamic, skills-based workforce. The challenge is not whether AI will transform jobs—it already is—but how individuals and organizations prepare for these shifts. OD practitioners must lead this transition by fostering adaptability, up-skilling workforces, and aligning talent strategies with the realities of an AI-driven economy.
Re-skilling and Continuous Learning
Prior to the closing of the World Economic Forum’s 55th Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, labor market observers claimed that with businesses now investing over $240 billion annually in AI and digital infrastructure, the lack of skills remains the top barrier to unlocking the full potential of digital transformation. They discussed what collaborative effort is needed to bridge the skills gaps and unlock the benefits for competitiveness, growth and productivity? The will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability.
NOTES
1. Strategic Leadership and Innovation in a Globalized Digital Era for Drucker Leadership Academy (DLA, Nepal) and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Philippines, for Nepali Business Executives, Leaders and Medical Practitioners, April 21 to 24, 2025.
2. Empowering Changemakers Through New Ventures and Social Entrepreneurship with AI BootCamp, Far Eastern University (FEU) and the Small Enterprise Research and Development Foundation (SERDEF) Inc. February 10-11, 2025, FEU, Sampaloc Manila
3. Future Proof Finance: Strategies for Climate Action, Association of Development Finance Institutions for Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), March 24-28, 2025.
4. Embracing AI in Optometry Practice in the Philippines, Optometric Association of the Philippines (OAP 75thNational Convention), April 4-6, 2025 Makati MMA
.