A thought leadership piece by decodifi's CEO Charlie Bartle.

It took someone else to point it out to me. After nearly 20 years in the people sector, I’d transitioned into building AI agents — without noticing the parallel. I’d gone from hiring humans into roles to creating digital agents for those very same roles.

When it clicked, I felt a mix of surprise and irony. I hadn’t even realised I’d made the shift. And that realisation made me pause: what does it mean when the tools we build today start doing the work I once hired people for?

This isn’t a story about jobs disappearing. It’s a story about rethinking how work gets done.

The Emotion We Haven’t Named Yet

That realisation didn’t feel heavy — it felt unusual. It wasn’t excitement in the traditional sense, but it also wasn’t doubt. The best word I’ve found for it is unfamiliar.

Because this shift is different from anything I’d experienced in HR. In the past, change meant rethinking structures, processes, or teams. With AI, the questions feel bigger: not just who does the work — but what even counts as work?

Instead of jobs vanishing, the real story is how roles will evolve. McKinsey predicts that by 2030, about 60% of jobs will have at least 30% of their tasks automated. That’s not about replacement — it’s about shifting human focus to higher-value work.

‍

Ripping Up the Rule Book

What struck me next was how different this change feels from the ones we’ve faced before.

In most organisations, transformation follows a pattern: start, middle, end. We adjust, optimise, and improve what already exists. But an AI-driven workforce doesn’t fit neatly into that framework. It invites us to rethink the rules entirely.

The numbers make the case. PwC estimates that AI could add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030 — the single biggest commercial opportunity in today’s fast-changing world.

This isn’t just disruption. It’s reinvention. And that reinvention depends on one thing above all else: people being willing to change.

The Moment Everything Changed

For me, the turning point came when I started experimenting with the tools myself.

Using Lovable, a vibe development platform, I built an app in about four hours. That was the moment I thought: this changes everything.

It wasn’t just faster — it was a glimpse of the future. By 2025, Gartner predicts that no-code platforms will power over half of all new applications, enabling businesses to build solutions up to 10x faster.

Digital transformation has been a buzzword for years. Now, it’s finally tangible.

‍

What Makes Us Irreplaceable

After two decades managing people, I know what AI can’t replicate.

Humans reflect, challenge, and connect in ways that can’t be automated. We bring context, empathy, and perspective — and that’s what makes us valuable.

AI agents won’t replace us. They’ll free us to do more of what we do best.

My focus has shifted. The question isn’t whether the technology is powerful — it’s how we communicate that power. The real challenge is helping people see this as enabling, not intimidating.

Education Over Fear

The best way forward isn’t selling — it’s showing.
When people see what’s possible, excitement replaces uncertainty. Education and demonstration are the bridge.

I’ve gone from curious observer to advocate. The sense of the unfamiliar remains, but so does the conviction that this is a moment of transformation.

We’re not just automating jobs away. We’re opening up new opportunities for human potential — if we’re ready to embrace them.