Present across most sectors, artificial intelligence is already transforming jobs and the world of work in very concrete ways. It is reshaping how we collaborate, learn and make decisions. Some tasks are disappearing, new ones are emerging and certain skills are becoming more critical than ever.
In most organisations, these transformations are still at an early stage, often limited to pilot projects or isolated use cases. HR teams still lack visibility on the very concrete impact of AI on roles and professions. What forms of transformation do they already need to manage today? Which ones should be anticipated to retain control over AI’s impact on jobs?
These questions were at the heart of the Septeo Future Insights HR 2025 round table: “Skills & training in the era of AI-driven transitions”.
AI & employment: key takeaways
- The impact of AI on employment is real but overall positive: some jobs disappear, others are created in greater numbers and the content of roles is evolving.
- AI does not replace humans: it reshapes the way we work and brings new skills to the forefront.
- Soft skills related to AI (curiosity, adaptability, critical thinking) are becoming the most important capabilities to develop.
AI as a lever for employees
The first productivity gains are now measurable. According to Bain & Company, organisations deploying AI could increase their EBITDA by 20%.
This lever does not come from mass job destruction, but from the fact that AI takes over:
- repetitive tasks
- low value-added activities
- time-consuming but low-differentiation actions
This allows employees to focus on their core expertise, customer relationships, analysis, creativity and decision-making.
As Mickaël Vandepitte, Chief Product Officer at Septeo HR, summarises: “AI is not here to replace employees, but to help them excel.”
The real AI challenge for businesses: closing the skills gap
If AI does not eliminate professions, it does profoundly reshape the labour market. At global level, almost one in four jobs could be exposed to generative AI, according to the Observatoire International du Travail.
The World Economic Forum estimates that artificial intelligence could:
- destroy 92 million jobs by 2030
- but create 170 million over the same period
- resulting in a net positive balance of 78 million jobs
The roles most at risk are those made up largely of repetitive tasks. Gradually, these activities are giving way to higher value-added work: analysis, relationship-building, creativity, advisory support.
This transition logically brings new skills to the forefront – skills employees need in order to adapt as their roles evolve.
According to the World Economic Forum:
- 40% of current skills are expected to change
- 63% of employers already cite skills shortages as a major obstacle
For HR teams, the roadmap is clear. HR now has to organise and steer upskilling and reskilling so they can secure business continuity and maintain their teams’ capacity to adapt.
As Isabelle Rouhan, founder of Colibri Talent and Chair of the Observatoire des métiers du futur, reminds us during Septeo Future Insights HR 2025: “Anyone can change career path, provided they are supported through that transition.”
Our AI & employment round table available on replay
Watch the replay of our Septeo Future Insights HR 2025 round table on training as a lever for engagement, retention and agility – at a time when AI is profoundly reshaping the core of many professions.
Speakers at the event:
- Frédéric Bardeau (Simplon.co)
- Quentin Declercq (Superformateur, Founder)
- Laurie Fabiani (Artefact)
- Eneric Lopez (Microsoft)
- Isabelle Rouhan (Colibri Talent)
Watch the conference replay
- Technical skills
Training for developers, data scientists and data/AI specialists.
- Tool proficiency
Adoption of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney and other operational solutions.
- Cultural and critical skills
Awareness-raising on use cases, bias, ethical issues and the mindset required when working with AI.
It is this third layer – though essential – that remains the least developed today. Often focused on tools with a more directly measurable ROI, organisations still underestimate the importance of helping employees adopt the right posture towards AI. In this context, AI-related soft skills are becoming the key to sustainable performance.
AI & employment: which soft skills should be prioritised?
According to our IA & HR 2025 barometer, three behavioural skills stand out as critical for working effectively with artificial intelligence:
- Analytical thinking – cited by 42% of HR professionals surveyed
- Adaptability – mentioned by 30% of respondents
- Curiosity – highlighted by 17% of them
These soft skills reflect the ability to learn continuously, to adopt a critical eye on outputs produced by AI systems, and to step in when recommendations are not relevant. In other words, simply knowing how to use an AI tool is not enough. Employees must also be able to assess its limitations, challenge its answers and make the final call.
