Artificial intelligence (AI), more than any other digital development, is set to bring about profound changes to many professions. One need only look at how our relationship with AI has changed in the space of a few months. A year ago, people were reluctant to admit they were using it. Six months ago, people were trying to hide any signs that they were using these tools. Today, what surprises people is when you say you don’t use it. Personally, not a day goes by without me using it.

The real challenge for organisations – and, in particular, for human resources managers – is to manage this transition effectively. We are talking about rapid, far-reaching and profound transformations. AI affects all staff and has implications for the way we work, the way we support customers, and even our business models. Above all, this transition is taking place at a pace rarely seen before. The integration of AI is now one of my strategic priorities, with the challenge of transforming the organisation over the next two years.

Freeing up time to create more value

That said, I do not believe there will be a massive loss of jobs in the short to medium term. At present, we are not able to replace entire roles with machines, but we are certainly able to take over a number of tasks.

AI is already driving productivity. It enables faster access to information, the production of standard documents, the summarisation of content and the provision of support to staff with certain analyses. In the future, with the rise of automated workflows and agent-based platforms, it could execute entire processes by drawing on multiple sources of information.

Shift in value creation

AI, however, cannot replace a lawyer’s ability to understand a client’s specific situation, to assess conflicting risks, or to formulate a recommendation tailored to a particular context… All of which constitute the value of a lawyer. The time saved should enable lawyers to devote more energy to what truly creates value: analysis, problem-solving and building relationships with clients and stakeholders.

The productivity gains promised by AI are not without risks. For HR managers, the challenge also lies in preventing digital burnout.

HR at the heart of the transition

This transformation puts human resources at the forefront, requiring them to take action on several fronts.

The first is to encourage staff to take ownership of the tools. At present, we are at a stage where we are telling our staff: you must use AI. Not as a technological mandate, but as a way of developing new working practices and identifying the applications that genuinely create value. The second challenge concerns skills. In light of the new requirements, which will soon become apparent, we need to update our skills frameworks. The third challenge is supporting people, with a view to allaying fears associated with adopting the technology. HR must reassure, explain and provide support. It must also recognise employees who experiment with new ways of working, develop relevant prompts, share best practices or identify new opportunities for creating value.

At A&O Shearman, this approach involves several departments beyond HR. The Head of Knowledge Management, in particular, also works alongside the marketing and communications teams to understand clients’ needs, organise internal knowledge and support the adoption of new tools.

New skills for new careers

This development is also forcing companies to reassess their expectations of talent.

Whilst technical skills remain essential, in future greater emphasis will be placed on other abilities. I am thinking in particular of critical analysis, problem-solving, adaptability and the ability to anticipate economic and societal changes. Mastery of a legal field remains essential, but the ability to create value from that expertise is becoming crucial.

In this regard, it is regrettable that the academic world has not yet fully come to terms with these new realities.

Reinventing learning pathways

If AI is capable of carrying out certain tasks traditionally entrusted to junior staff, is there still a need to recruit such candidates? Not only must companies continue to recruit young talent, but they will probably need to integrate them more quickly into roles offering greater added value. The challenge, then, is to rethink learning pathways. Mentoring, the sharing of experience, early exposure to clients and the accelerated development of interpersonal skills are becoming essential drivers.

The approach is also intergenerational. Experienced staff pass on their expertise, judgement and understanding of complex situations. Younger staff, for their part, bring new ways of working, new practices and a greater familiarity with AI tools. They will also be agents of change.

The ability to learn together, to experiment and to collectively develop new ways of working could well become organisations’ most valuable competitive advantage.