AI is changing how we work, but it doesn’t have to leave people behind. Here’s how leaders and HR teams can help roles evolve, keep humans at the centre, and make practical use of what AI has to offer.

I regularly contribute to ABC Radio Brisbane, providing commentary on workplace issues ranging from industrial relations reform to restructures, pay secrecy clauses, AI in recruitment, remuneration reviews, and unfair dismissals rulings. In my most recent ABC interview, I joined ABC presenter Kat Feeney and former Queensland Government ministers Scott Emerson and Jackie Trad to explore a topic that’s quickly moved from the margins to the mainstream: how artificial intelligence is changing the way we work.

This article builds on that conversation, offering a broader view of what AI means for HR, strategy and employee relations, and why leaders need to pay attention now.

AI has moved from hype to operations

AI is no longer just a tech story or something for the IT team to figure out. It’s already affecting the way organisations manage people, risk and performance. Whether it’s helping shortlist candidates, flagging safety concerns, identifying flight risks or drafting internal documents, AI is gradually changing the tempo and structure of how work gets done.

In my own practice, AI is already embedded in day-to-day work. We use it to scan patterns in workforce data, summarise interviews, and explore change scenarios. It's not doing the job for us, but it helps us get to the right questions faster.

Many employees are ahead of their leaders when it comes to adopting AI, particularly generative tools. They’re already using them to create content, summarise documents, or get through admin faster. The question for leaders isn’t whether people will use AI, it’s how we help them do it well.

And increasingly, HR systems themselves are integrating AI in subtle but powerful ways: faster screening, predictive scheduling, intelligent workflows. This isn’t about “big bang” disruption. It’s about making small changes that add up.

Speaking at the National Press Club this week, Atlassian’s Scott Farquhar summed it up well: “Use it yourself every single day… to understand what is coming and be a leader for the future.” That’s the starting point. You can’t lead this shift from the sidelines.

Roles are changing—but people aren’t being replaced

It’s common to ask whether AI will replace jobs. But what’s actually happening is more nuanced: AI is replacing certain tasks, and in doing so, it’s reshaping roles.

Here are some examples from sectors I work closely with:

In energy: From rostering to risk forecasting

At an LNG operation, AI is used to integrate weather forecasts, fatigue modelling and permit systems to anticipate crew shortages or safety issues. Rostering shifted from a back-office function to a frontline safety input. The scheduler didn’t lose their job, they became part of the operational decision-making team. That shift improved both productivity and safety outcomes.

In gas processing: From maintenance backlog to proactive planning

At a gas plant, agentic AI is being used to monitor sensor data and trigger maintenance requests before faults occur. It aligns the work with production schedules and notifies relevant teams. That doesn’t eliminate the maintenance supervisor, it frees them from repetitive admin so they can focus on planning and prioritisation.

In professional services: From drafting to insight

In consulting, we’re seeing AI generate proposal drafts based on previous work, pricing data and client notes. That lets consultants focus on client strategy rather than formatting and admin. The job becomes more human, not less.

These changes aren’t the exception. They’re early signals of where we’re headed. AI helps disentangle the routine from the valuable. The challenge is helping people move into the space that’s been freed up.

So what exactly is agentic AI?

Agentic AI refers to systems that don’t just respond to instructions, they take initiative. They pursue a defined goal, make decisions, and act without waiting for a prompt.

In workplace settings, we’re starting to see this play out in areas like compliance and investigations. Imagine this:

A workplace complaint is lodged. The AI:

• opens a case,
• applies the right ‘business rules’ (workplace policies, response frameworks etc),
• schedules interviews,
• generates draft summaries, and
• produces a compliance record.

This doesn’t replace the investigator. It removes the friction so they can focus on making the right call. That’s the real value, reducing time on low-value tasks so more time can be spent on judgment, context and care.

What about sectors where AI isn’t as visible?

Even in industries like aged care or construction, where AI might feel further off, it’s already there, in rostering tools, supply chain systems, and health and safety platforms. The AI might not look like ChatGPT, but it’s making decisions behind the scenes.

So while AI adoption might be slower in some areas, it’s still happening. And often, it’s the cumulative effect of small tools, not one major change, that makes the difference.

What leaders and HR teams should focus on

This isn’t just about tech adoption, it’s about leadership, change and people strategy. A few things matter more than ever:

• Redesigning roles: Start with what matters most. Where is human judgment critical? Where is admin holding people back?
• AI confidence and literacy: Teams don’t need to become data scientists. But they do need to understand what AI is doing, and what it’s not.
• Built-in governance: Decisions about people, performance or conduct should never be left solely to AI. Build clear boundaries and oversight into your processes.
• Clarity, not fear: People want to know what’s changing, why it matters, and how they’ll be supported through it.
• Use the tech yourself: As Farquhar said, you can’t lead well if you’re not hands-on. Start using the tools so you can have real conversations about what they mean.

Final thought

AI is already changing how we work. The question now is how we lead through that change practically, ethically, and with people at the centre.

In many ways, it’s not about replacing people at all. It’s about redesigning work to remove friction and let people do what they do best: solve problems, make decisions, and create value.

Savvy HR Services

Savvy is a leading organisational effectiveness firm proving pragmatic advice & support for business leaders on people management, leadership, culture and organisational design. We focus on the people side of strategy, turning strategy into action and results.

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