TechWatchPH columnist highlights workforce leaders’ evolving role at World HR Summit

• IN PHOTO: TechWatch PH columnist Joey Briones during World HR Summit Philippines 2026 his  his Courtesy of Joey Briones

As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, human resource leaders are being pushed to take a more strategic role in redesigning how people and technology work together.

Speaking during the World HR Summit Philippines 2026, TechWatchPH columnist Joey Briones, a strategic People & Culture and Organizational Capability leader, discussed the evolving role of workforce leaders in an AI-enabled world, stressing that organizations must go beyond simply adopting AI and instead adapt their people, processes and operating models around the technology.

During his session, “HR’s Role in Enterprise-Wide ‘AI Adaption,” Briones said organizations should rethink how people and AI work together rather than treating the technology merely as another workplace tool.

“The future isn’t AI + Human. It’s Human × AI. The greatest value is created when each amplifies the other’s strengths,” Briones said.

He stressed that while AI adoption focuses on introducing technology into an organization, AI adaptation requires a broader transformation of how the organization works.

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“AI Adoption is about technology. AI Adaption is about redesigning the organization. That’s where HR creates strategic value,” he said.

Briones also emphasized that workplaces should remain centered on people even as companies increasingly integrate AI into their operations.

“The future of work isn’t just AI-enabled — it must remain deeply human-centered. Technology should amplify human agency, not diminish it,” he said.

According to Briones, the role of HR is evolving “from managing people to architecting the AI-enabled operating model of the future,” highlighting the growing responsibility of workforce leaders in determining how people and emerging technologies can work together.

“We don’t compete with AI by being faster or smarter. We lead it by being more human than ever,” he added.

The World HR Summit Philippines 2026 brought together human resource professionals, business leaders and industry experts to discuss the changing workplace and the impact of emerging technologies on organizations.

Organized by TraiCon Events in Manila, the summit covered topics including artificial intelligence, HR technology, workforce transformation, leadership and employee well-being.