Thoughts and Takeaways from HR Tech Europe
AI, AI and yes, even more AI.
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Happy Wednesday,
I was bound to post this earlier this week but the flue got me. Bummer.
So without further ado; the recap from last weeks HR Tech Europe.
Being at conferences is for me, always about meeting people. The biggest value for me is always the conversations. Getting to chat with people, especially those of you who read this (stupid) little newsletter, is something I'm genuinely grateful for.
Every single time someone comes up and mentions that they read and appreciate this little newsletter, I feel incredibly happy.
It genuinely means a lot, and it's wonderful knowing it's appreciated!
Beyond that then?
Well, there was plenty of exciting technology, interesting presentations, and innovation on display. AI was, unsurprisingly, the hottest topics—and there were definitely some highlights. Rebecca Wetteman's session, for example, was absolutely outstanding. She was probably the single best speaker at the event—sharp, insightful, and practical.
Did my usual stroll amongst vendors and startups as well. Horsefly continues to impress me with their predictive analytics. They always seem to offer a clear, exciting glimpse of the future in the people-analytics-space. It was fun talking to Rippling about their Talent Signal and their approach to building that one out in Europe.
However, being deeply engaged with AI myself, I couldn't help but notice a certain gap in how some speakers approached AI.
Many still seemed to assume organizations would essentially remain the same, just adding AI as another layer, and that humans would always play a central, unchanged role.
If you've been reading my newsletter for a while, you'll know I don't fully share that optimistic view. I strongly believe we should consider scenarios where human roles could radically shift due to AI.
Yet, surprisingly few seemed open to exploring this idea.
In my talk, I tried to gently nudge this conversation forward because, if we don't begin imagining these possibilities, we might find ourselves unprepared.
Another thing I reflected about was how little the EU AI Act was discussed.
Officially, it came into effect on August 2nd, but practically speaking, the first parts cam into effect 2nd of February (looking at you AI Literacy).
I expected it to be a bigger talking point, yet it didn't seem to receive much attention. Given its importance for anyone working with AI in Europe, it's definitely something worth exploring further.
The insider chatter also revealed an interesting dynamic: many are thinking and talking a lot about AI, but surprisingly few are taking concrete steps and actively putting things into action yet. There's clearly a gap between ambition and reality right now, and it will be fascinating to watch how this develops over the coming months.
All-in-all, as mentioned, it’s about these conversations and having that easy access to people.
Whether it's chatting with vendors, startups, fellow HR professionals, or even sharing dinner with someone as insightful as Josh Bersin, these conversations truly matter. It’s fascinating hearing how other HR leaders tackle challenges, exchange ideas, and learn from each other's experiences.
Yes, my voice is definitely tired, I'm behind on emails, and my to-do list has grown alarmingly long—but it's always worth it.
Events like these recharge my curiosity and enthusiasm for our field. Despite the exhaustion, attending HR Tech Europe is an investment I'll happily keep making.
Looking forward to seeing you all there again next year!