Why HR must take a leading role in the AI strategy

A shifting landscape of work

AI is changing work at a pace that is difficult to predict. New tools are introduced, processes shift and teams notice that routines that once felt natural suddenly verlopen anders. These changes may seem technical, but their impact is primarily human.

This is exactly why HR should not remain on the edge of the AI discussion. A digital HR strategy shows that the essence of AI is not the technology itself, but the way people work with it, learn with it and make decisions alongside it. Organisations that recognise this understand that an AI strategy becomes complete only when HR helps shape it from the start.

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AI transforms work, not only processes

AI enters organisations in ways that are not always planned. Employees use it to explore ideas, prepare documents or gain clarity on complex issues. As a result, work shifts in subtle but meaningful ways. Tasks move faster, decisions can be grounded more thoroughly and some roles gain more space for creative or strategic work.

These shifts raise questions that extend beyond technology. What does this mean for the role of a team. Which capabilities become more important. How do you maintain autonomy when algorithms increasingly support decisions. These are questions rooted in culture, development and the experience of work. HR is the function best placed to interpret them.

When organisations treat AI purely as a technology project they overlook exactly these dynamics. The focus then lies on implementation while the real movement takes place in the everyday reality of work.

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Why HR must help shape the AI strategy

The value of AI does not emerge from the system itself but from the way people can work with it. This requires clarity, support and space to learn. Without these conditions the use of AI remains limited or fragmented.

HR can guide this process by understanding how work shifts once AI becomes part of daily routines. Which tasks change. Where new opportunities appear. Where uncertainty grows. Recognising these movements helps create a strategy that reflects the real needs of teams rather than the ambitions of a technology project.

AI also touches long standing themes such as employability, internal mobility, development and the growth of capabilities. An AI strategy without HR therefore misses the foundation needed to support people as their work evolves.

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Skills as a foundation in a changing work environment

AI also changes which capabilities employees need in their day to day work. While routine tasks can often be supported, human judgement remains essential. This includes assessing information produced by a model, making decisions in situations that cannot be fully predicted and collaborating in teams where technology plays a bigger role. Organisations therefore need a clear view of the capabilities that are already present and the capabilities that must continue to develop. A digital HR strategy helps provide this clarity. By understanding which skills grow, which lag behind and where employees need support, organisations can make development more focused and realistic. This helps teams not only use AI, but work with it in a competent and confident way.

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A digital HR strategy grows from observing real work

A digital HR strategy does not originate in a project plan but in the daily reality of work. Observing how teams use AI reveals patterns that matter. Patterns that show where AI supports, where it creates friction and where unexpected opportunities arise. These insights form the basis for a strategy that aligns with how the organisation truly functions.

In this approach development is no longer a separate activity but a natural part of the rhythm of work. Employees have the space to explore new applications, try different tasks and experiment with technology that is still evolving. This is not about forcing quick results, but about maintaining adaptability in an environment that continues to shift.

A digital HR strategy does not prescribe a fixed route. It creates the conditions in which teams can grow, learn and adjust. This becomes the basis for responsible, human and future oriented use of AI.

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Where the AI strategy ultimately leads

AI transforms work, but the way people respond to these changes determines whether they create value. An AI strategy is never only a technical plan. It is also a perspective on how people collaborate, which capabilities become essential and how teams find room to explore new possibilities.

HR plays a defining role in this. Not as a manager of systems, but as the designer of an environment where learning feels normal, curiosity is encouraged and development becomes part of everyday work. When HR takes this position, an AI strategy becomes not only technically sound but also sustainable for the people who must work with it.

Organisations that take this approach build a digital HR strategy that does not sit next to the AI agenda but strengthens and deepens it. The result is a foundation that helps employees navigate a work environment that is constantly moving.