Redefining HRD roles and practice in the Machine Learning Revolution

Our challenge to the Human Resource Development (HRD) community, is how far we should proactively take responsibility and get involved in shaping future skill development and human interactions with technology? Or will they, as in the past, retain a passive observer position? There is much talk of the displacement of humans by technologies with Deloitte’s (2018) reporting that employment in 44% of occupations in the UK is creating uncertainty about which jobs will continue. The disruption to current approaches to skill development and identification of what new skills are needed requires attention. For people to retain relevance, more attention is needed on those skills that resist automation and technology replacement by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) package. In this chapter we seek to answer the question: to what extent do LD practitioners incorporate both the learning of humans and machines within their areas of responsibility? Initially, we consider some of the key ideas relating to 4IR with respect to HRD/LD. We report the findings from a series of interviews with Senior HRD practitioners. We identified five themes: Emerging Awareness; Responding; Division between IT and HRD; Role of HRD; and Ethical Implications that we share and explore. We suggest that ML/AI is still something of a black box for HRD/LD and our enquiry prompted speculation and possibilities with an emerging recognition of the need to be involved and develop a more collaborative response. We argue that HRD/LD can make this happen and is important to the continuity, relevance and survival of the profession.