Worried AI will take your job? Global recruitment exec says upskilling is key

• IN PHOTO: PSG Global Solutions COO Monica Maralit

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in the workplace, concerns over whether the technology could eventually replace human workers continue to grow.

But for Monica Maralit, chief operating officer of global recruitment process outsourcing firm PSG Global Solutions, the bigger concern for workers should not simply be whether AI can take their jobs, but whether they are developing skills that remain distinctly human.

Maralit acknowledged that AI is likely to take over certain workplace activities, particularly tasks that are repetitive and relatively easy to automate. However, she does not expect the technology to eliminate all types of jobs.

“I think that for the most part, AI will take over certain tasks and roles that are very repetitive, very easy to do,” Maralit said.

“I don’t think that they will take over all of the different types of roles. I think there’s a lot of different task responsibilities and roles that humans still need to do,” she added.

PSG delivers recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and custom talent solutions for healthcare organizations, staffing agencies, and employers. The firm specializes in managing seasonal hiring spikes, optimizing recruiting workflows, and integrating AI hiring tech to accelerate time-to-hire.

According to Maralit, jobs that depend heavily on human judgment, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and empathy are less likely to be taken over by AI.

She said employers also have a responsibility to help workers develop these capabilities as technology becomes more widely used in organizations.

For workers who want to strengthen their position in an AI-driven workplace, Maralit advised developing skills that machines cannot easily replicate.

“So if you think about an organization, the more technology or technologically capable an organization gets, the more important human skills are,” she said.

“So develop human judgment, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, those types of things are going to be very important for you to secure your job.”

Maralit is also president of Find Human Resources, which recruits workers in the Philippines. PSG Global Solutions, meanwhile, recruits for positions worldwide.