Organizations are being challenged to rethink their talent strategies and build resilient workforces in the face of rapid disruption from artificial intelligence (AI) and changing employee expectations. This was the central theme at the HR Summit 2025 in Nairobi.
Speaking at the summit, Karim Anjarwalla, a Senior Partner at ALN Kenya, emphasized the urgency of this challenge. “Artificial intelligence is not just changing what we do, but how we learn, how we hire, and how we lead,” he said. He warned that unlike past innovations, AI has the potential to remove humans from the center of work, presenting a “generational challenge” for which Africa must be proactive in its response. Anjarwalla added that to stay competitive, organizations must find new ways to integrate talent and innovation.
Sundeep Raichura, the Zamara Group CEO, echoed these sentiments, highlighting how quickly workplace expectations are evolving. He noted that flexible work has gone from being a perk to a standard expectation, and AI, once dismissed in HR circles, is now reshaping everything from hiring to employee engagement.
However, Raichura stressed that the future of work must be about people, not just technology. “Whether workplaces remain human-centered or become technology-dominated depends on the choices we make as leaders,” he said. He challenged HR leaders to move beyond administrative roles and become strategists and “culture shapers” who ensure that innovation serves humanity rather than replaces it.
“Africa’s workforce should be our greatest asset, future-ready, not future-fearful,” Raichura concluded.
The summit’s theme, “Fit for Future,” focused on creating workplaces ready for this new era by addressing skills transformation, leadership resilience, and cultural adaptation. According to the World Economic Forum, 83% of core skills will change by 2030, with a rapid rise in demand for skills like AI literacy and data analysis.