This week on Punk Rock HR, I’m joined by Scott Stratten, speaker, author, and one of my favorite people to chat with about work. We recorded this conversation live on LinkedIn to explore AI in HR. Instead of diving into features or vendors, we looked at what AI adoption really means for people and organizations.
Scott made a point that stuck with me: “If all you’re doing is following and enforcing policies and procedures, you will be out of a job in the next two years. 100%.” We talked about how HR’s value is not in information or administration. The value is in advocacy, relationships, and defending humanity.
We also dug into the red flags: data security risks when uploading comp plans into AI systems, algorithms trained on stolen work, and the biases that come baked into these platforms. AI may promise efficiency, but it also brings risk. HR professionals need to be the ones slowing down the rush, asking tough questions, and using critical thinking.
Scott and I also talked about universal basic income, return-to-office mandates, and the tension between shareholder demands and employee well-being. At the heart of it all, we agreed: HR must defend humanity. That is the real work.
If you’re tired of the AI hype and want a grounded conversation about what matters in the future of work, this episode is for you.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Why AI bots in interviews strip away dignity from candidates
- The red flags HR leaders can’t ignore: data leaks, bias, and copyright concerns
- How companies use AI as a justification for economic cruelty
- Why HR jobs are at risk of disappearing in 24–36 months without reinvention
- What slowing down and doing a pre-mortem can teach us
- How real-life connections and referrals still drive most hiring
- The role of universal basic income in the future of work
- Why HR’s value lies in advocacy, relationships, and defending humanity
Resources from this episode
- Unmarketing website: unmarketing.com
- Connect with Scott Stratten on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/unmarketing
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