Could One Person + AI Run Your Company?

Forget teams, forget departments...forget HR.

Welcome to FullStack HR, and an extra welcome to the 102 people who have signed up since last week.

If you haven’t yet subscribed, join the 6700+ smart, curious HR folks by subscribing here:

---

FullStack HR is brought to you by… HR Tech Europe!

On May 2-3, the HR Tech community will meet in Amsterdam.
These will be jam-packed days with inspiration, and I have a hunch that many of the sessions will center around AI.

If you use code JOHANNES50, you’ll get a 50% discount on the ticket price!

---

Happy Monday,

Yes, last week was “one of those weeks”.

So here I am on a Monday.

Two important things before we dive in.

1. It’s the last week to submit your AI & HR Tool to the list.

2. I do offer ads in the newsletter. The first five to buy a spot get a 50% discount.
   Reach out to get more details and grab a spot.

That said. Today is a thought experiment. Let’s get to it.

---

In Silicon Valley, this bet is making the rounds: Who will be the first to build a billion-dollar business alone?

It’s not just bar talk; it’s a genuine possibility in our AI-powered era.

Early this year, I dived into the concept of AI-powered organizations, sparking a big question: In a future where a single person, bolstered by AI, can achieve what once took hundreds, what’s the role of traditional departments like HR?
Do we even need one?

Let’s do a thought experiment!

How would I build an HR department from the ground up, with AI at the helm and the future in mind?

The AI Foundation

First off, I’d immediately get my hands on ChatGPT Enterprise.

Sure, Google’s Gemini is the new kid on the block, but ChatGPT still wears the crown.

I still think of it as the ultimate tool in our HR toolkit, handling everything from drafting job descriptions to fine-tuning onboarding processes and laying out compensation frameworks. It’s about making HR smarter, faster, and more personalized.

Streamlining the Day-to-Day

Handling the routine stuff, like fielding endless questions about policies and leave, would be the job of AI assistants like Harriet. (Disclosure: I’m an investor in Harriet.)

This strategy isn’t just about reducing my caffeine intake; it’s about efficiency and freeing up human resources for the bigger picture.

It means we could run a lean, mean HR machine, focusing our human efforts on areas that truly benefit from the personal touch.

Rethinking Recruitment

Recruitment is a beast, but imagine taming it with AI.

With ChatGPT’s help, I’d design a recruitment process that’s efficient and brilliant. Using AI tools for sourcing and screening could make finding the right people less of a headache and more of a strategic win.

And for interviews, why not bring in a tool like Metaview to ensure we’re not just going through the motions but engaging with potential hires?

Onboarding and Growth

Onboarding wouldn’t just be about filling out forms; it’d be an engaging, even fun, introduction to the company powered by AI. But it doesn’t stop there. Using AI for ongoing learning and development means we can offer personalized growth paths for every employee, turning the whole “career progression” thing on its head.

Performance Management

After onboarding, we’d use AI to keep a finger on the performance pulse, offering real-time feedback and development opportunities. It’s about supporting everyone to be their best, with AI providing the insights and suggestions to make it happen.
Many tools exist, but I’d also rely heavily on ChatGPT Enterprise to analyze the results.

Is this the real world, or is it just fantasy?

You might think this journey of envisioning an AI-driven HR department is a high-tech fantasy.

But really, I think this is a vital thought exercise for all in HR or leadership space to do. What would that blank page look like?

That bet in Silicon Valley isn't just idle chatter; it's a preview of what's on the horizon for organizational structures and the role of us in HR within them.

This exploration isn't confined to dreaming up efficiencies or reimagining productivity; it's a deep dive into preparing for a future that might fundamentally alter our perceptions of work, culture, and profitability.

Introducing AI into the mix doesn't just potentially shift the financial dynamics of companies; it challenges us to reconsider the essence of value creation in an organization.

The Big Questions

But let's pause and consider a broader, more philosophical question: In a future where AI could take on much of the workload, what does this mean for the role of human beings within organizations?

Seeing this as a binary choice between a human-centric versus an AI-driven approach is tempting. However, the reality is likely to be more nuanced.

Perhaps we're approaching a point where the traditional model of organizations, populated by large human workforces, evolves into something leaner, where AI handles much of the operational load.

This isn't about replacing humans but redefining their roles, focusing on areas where human creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking are paramount.

This shift raises profound questions about identity and values in the business world.

It's about who we are as leaders and the organizations we aspire to build.

Are we aiming to create environments where technology frees humans to focus on what they do best? Or are we looking at a future where the concept of an organization is transformed, with fewer humans but not less humanity?

Engaging in this thought experiment isn't just about anticipating technological shifts; it's a philosophical inquiry into the future of work itself.

It challenges us to envision a world where the boundaries between technology and humanity are redefined, where the essence of what it means to be an organization, a leader, and a worker is transformed.

So, while it might seem like we're merely speculating about the future, this is an essential dialogue we must engage in.

The notion of a one-man AI unicorn symbolizes not just a technological possibility but a prompt to reflect on the evolving nature of work, leadership, and organizational culture in the digital age.

The sooner we start grappling with these ideas, the better prepared we'll be to navigate and shape this emerging landscape, ensuring that as we move forward, we do so with a clear understanding of our values and the role we want technology to play in our collective future.