Rethinking Skills, AI, and the Future of HR: A Conversation with Alex Dogliotti

With a background that bridges operations, talent development, and applied AI—and as the author of Replaced by AI—Alex brings both a critical lens and hands-on experience to the conversation.

His thinking around skill ownership, the evolving role of HR, and the need for ethical frameworks made him a natural voice to feature as part of our exploration into the future of workforce intelligence.

“I don’t come from HR—and that shapes how I see it.”

Alex entered HR through the commercial world, starting in sales and moving into learning and development. That operational lens gave him a unique outlook:

“I’ve never had that typical HR background… and that’s what makes my view different.”

He’s direct about where HR stands today: “I don’t care about HR—not in the traditional sense. I think it needs to be reshaped completely.” For him, it’s not about dismissing the function, but about recognising how much the work landscape has changed.

The shift: Skills belong to everyone now

One of Alex’s key arguments is that skills are no longer exclusive to roles or departments. “Marketing is no longer just for marketers. Engineering isn’t just for engineers,” he says. “If I’m in marketing and need automation, I should be able to write the code—or ask an AI to help me do it.”

As AI breaks down traditional silos, skill development becomes more personal. “You have to be able to identify what you’re missing and develop it fast,” Alex adds. “That’s not something HR can push top-down anymore.”

Reframing is the real skill

What does it take to work effectively with AI? For Alex, the answer isn’t technical ability—it’s problem framing.

“Your success at work now depends on your ability to break down problems and explain them clearly to AI. That’s what lets AI give you better solutions than you could come up with yourself.”

He compares it to teaching children: “You need to explain each step, exactly what you want, and what the outcome should be. Otherwise, the system doesn’t work the way you expect.”

A future role for HR, if it evolves

Alex doesn’t argue for the end of HR, but for a reinvention. He sees a new space emerging—what he calls organisational architecture.

“It’s the role that defines how people work together. It’s not just about managing people. It’s about shaping collaboration, decision-making, and how AI fits into it.”

That future function, he says, will focus on:

• Computational thinking: helping people work with AI, not just around it
• Emotional intelligence: communication, empathy, and human connection
• Ethics: ensuring AI systems are used fairly, transparently, and responsibly

“These are areas where HR—or whatever replaces it—can still lead.”

Final advice: future-proof your people

Alex’s closing message to companies is clear: don’t wait.

“You have a responsibility to help people get ready. That means giving them access to AI tools, teaching them how to automate, and helping them work independently.”

He adds, “Performance is about today, but skills are about tomorrow. If you want to stay competitive, focus on building skills now.”

At Everday, we’re building with people like Alex

Alex isn’t just a thought leader—we’re proud to call him a design partner at Everday. His forward-looking perspective on AI, skills, and organizational design continues to influence how we think, build, and support companies preparing for what’s next.

If you're rethinking how your workforce plans, grows, and adapts—you're in good company.