AI Revolution in HR: How Can HR Professionals in AfricaStay Ahead of Artificial Intelligence Curve?

Dotun Ayeni

When a colleague posed his question during my January talk to HR professionals in Lagos, Nigeria,this year, it crystallised a conversation that has only intensified over the past six months: “Howshould we use AI ethically in HR, particularly in Talent Acquisition?” What aspects of AI can weencourage candidates to make use of in their application? Should recruiters declare (or not) that AIwill be used to sift through CVs?”

That conversation is increasingly relevant today. Between then and now, we’ve witnessed anunprecedented acceleration in how both HR professionals and candidates are embracing generativeAI and large language models. The landscape has shifted so dramatically that what seemed like aforward-thinking question six months ago has become an urgent operational imperative for everyHR department on the continent.

During that January session, participants identified AI adoption as one of the primary challengesfacing HR professionals. Today, that challenge has evolved into both an opportunity and anexistential threat. The question is no longer whether African HR professionals should engage withAI, but rather how quickly and effectively we can build competencies to harness its potential whilenavigating its pitfalls.

Understanding AI: Beyond the buzzwords

The first step in building AI competency is understanding precisely what we’re dealing with. So,what is AI, and what makes its intelligence artificial? AI, or non-human intelligence, refers to theability of machines to perform tasks or engage in processes that we might conventionally attributeto human intelligence at nearly supersonic speed. It encompasses a broad spectrum of technologies,distinct from the rule-based automation that many HR professionals have used for years. It can bemachine learning algorithms that predict employee turnover, natural language processing systemsthat understand context and nuance, and generative AI tools such as Claude, Manus, ChatGPT,and Gemini, which can create content, analyse data, and even conduct initial candidate screenings.

Generative AI represents a fundamental move from traditional automation and the digitalisationthat HR departments have grown accustomed to. While conventional HR systems required us toinput specific parameters and receive predictable outputs based on predetermined rules, generativeAI can create novel content, engage in conversational interactions, and produce insights that werenot explicitly programmed. This shift from deterministic to probabilistic systems necessitates afundamentally different understanding of how technology operates and how to manage its outputseffectively.

We’re also witnessing the emergence of Web 3.0, characterised by decentralisation, intelligence, andinterconnected systems. AI is the backbone of this evolution, enabling more personalised,context-aware interactions between HR systems, employees, and candidates. This means that HRprofessionals must understand not only individual AI tools now but also how these technologiesintegrate into broader digital ecosystems that are shaping the future of work.

A REALITY CHECK

The good: Transformative potential for HR excellence

When AI works effectively, it can revolutionise HR operations from attraction through to

employee exit. The agility it provides is perhaps its greatest asset – AI can process thousands of CVsin minutes, identify patterns in employee engagement data that would take analysts weeks touncover, and provide 24/7 HR assistance through intelligent chatbots and administrative tasksupport. This technology enables HR departments to do significantly more with smaller teams,addressing the perpetual challenge of skilled talent constraints that many organisations face. Justrecently, Tata Consulting Services (TCS) laid off about 12,000 of its employees (2% of its globalworkforce) as it transitions towards a more AI-driven work model. Indeed, AI means many moreorganisations can do more with less- a development that brings both competitive advantages andsignificant human costs, due to the resulting large-scale job losses and societal displacements.

African HR technology companies are already demonstrating this potential. SeamlessHR, whichhas raised $10 million in Series A funding, is integrating AI and analytics functionality to serveclients like PwC, Flutterwave, and Sterling Bank across Nigeria, Ghana, and Tunisia. Similarly,Workpay’s expansion across 40 African countries demonstrates how innovative payroll solutionsthat integrate mobile money payments- a distinctly African financial innovation- can streamlineHR operations at scale.

The workflow improvements that AI brings span the entire employee lifecycle. AI can enhance

recruitment by identifying the best candidates from larger pools, improve onboarding through

personalised learning pathways, optimise performance management by providing data-driven

insights, and even help predict which employees might be considering leaving before they submittheir resignation. For many organisations operating with lean HR teams, these efficiencies aren’tjust helpful- they’re transformative.

The bad: The skills gap and the over-reliance trapYet, the promise of AI comes with significant risks, particularly in terms of skills development anddependency. Many HR professionals lack the technical literacy necessary to effectively evaluate AIoutputs, resulting in poor decision-making based on flawed or incomplete information. When1professionals rely too heavily on AI, it can impede cognitive abilities such as decision-making,analytical thinking, and critical thinking. Without proper training and awareness, there’s adangerous tendency to let AI do all the thinking, gradually eroding the essential cognitive skills thatmake HR professionals valuable strategic partners.

This challenge is particularly evident in the rapid growth of African HR tech companies. While

companies like Nigeria’s PadeHR and Ghana’s emerging HR startups are developing sophisticatedplatforms with AI capabilities, most HR professionals using these systems often lack the technicalunderstanding to maximise their potential or recognise their limitations.

The over-reliance on AI poses particular risks for day-to-day skill development. When AI handlesroutine tasks that previously helped junior HR professionals learn the fundamentals of theprofession, we risk creating a generation of practitioners who understand technology but lack deephuman insight. This is particularly concerning in Africa, where understanding cultural nuances,relationship dynamics, and local business practices remains crucial for effective peoplemanagement.

The ugly: Ethical pitfalls and role redundancy

The most serious risks emerge when organisations implement AI without adequate oversight,

transparency and ethical frameworks in place. AI systems can perpetuate and amplify existing

biases, resulting in discriminatory hiring practices that disproportionately affect underrepresentedgroups. In video interviewing, for instance, AI might unconsciously favour candidates who speakin particular accents or present themselves in ways that align with established hiring patterns,potentially excluding diverse talent.

Furthermore, the widespread use of AI in recruitment raises additional ethical concerns. If

recruiters are already using AI to shortlist candidates, is it fair game for these candidates to use AI toimprove their chances of selection? In the absence of legal and regulatory guidelines regarding theuse of AI in recruitment, the ethical implications of AI use in Talent Acquisition can quickly createproblems of fairness and reasonable adjustments. Perhaps most alarming is the tendency to acceptAI-generated content without verification and to use it at work without disclosure. AI can produceconvincing but factually incorrect information (hallucination), and in HR, this can lead to poorpolicy decisions, inappropriate candidate assessments, or even legal compliance issues.The speed of AI advancement is also making some HR roles redundant faster than organisationscan retrain their workforce. Administrative assistants, data analysts, and even some recruitmentcoordinators are finding their roles automated away. From a needs perspective, AI is graduallymaking some entry, mid-management and senior-level roles unnecessary as organisations areincreasingly able to do more with less, as evidenced by the massive layoffs in many organisations.The AI challenge for HR leaders is managing this transition while maintaining the humanelements that make organisations successful.

The African Advantage: Leading from Strength

African HR professionals are uniquely positioned to excel in the AI era, building on our

continent’s remarkable track record of technological adoption and innovation. From M-Pesa

revolutionising financial services to the thriving tech hubs in Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, and

Accra, Africa has consistently demonstrated an ability to leapfrog traditional technological barriersand implement cutting-edge solutions at scale.

Our technology hubs have already contributed significantly to global AI adoption- from the

pan-African Masakhane project, which has developed open-source natural language processing

tools for languages such as Yoruba, Swahili, and Amharic, to Lelapa AI’s InkubaLM, Africa’s firstmultilingual AI small language model. In the HR space specifically, Nigerian companies likeSeamlessHR are already serving over 100,000 employees across Africa with cloud-based HRsolutions. At the same time, Seamfix has pioneered biometric workforce documentation systemsfor forward-thinking organisations across Nigeria. Meanwhile, the Kenyan startup Workpay hasexpanded into Nigeria and 40 other African countries, integrating mobile money payment systems-a uniquely African innovation- into payroll management.

These examples demonstrate that African tech heads aren’t just consuming global AI solutions;

they’re creating culturally relevant technologies that solve local challenges while contributing toglobal knowledge. This expertise provides a strong foundation for HR transformation. The

challenge lies in translating this technical capability into practical HR applications while

maintaining the human-centred approach that African organisations value.However, the AI transition could also catch us unprepared if we don’t quickly adapt our skillsets.

The same technological agility that has driven our success in other sectors must now be applied toHR professional development. This requires both individual commitment to learning and

institutional support from professional bodies.

The role of professional bodies

Professional institutions across Africa, from Nigeria’s CIPM to similar bodies in South Africa,

Kenya, Ghana, and Morocco, have a critical role in preparing HR professionals for the AI era.

These organisations must urgently develop comprehensive AI literacy programmes that address theneeds of different generational cohorts within the profession.

For younger professionals, the focus should be on understanding AI capabilities while developingthe human skills that remain irreplaceable. Mid-career professionals should be supported inintegrating AI tools into established practices without compromising their accumulatedknowledge. Senior practitioners require training to develop strategic frameworks for leading AIadoption while managing the cultural and ethical implications associated with it.Such training programmes must be practical, addressing real scenarios that African HR

professionals encounter rather than theoretical frameworks developed in different contexts and

transferred without nuance. They should cover technical literacy, ethical decision-making, changemanagement, and the critical thinking skills needed to evaluate AI outputs effectively.

Professional bodies must also facilitate cross-border collaboration, sharing best practices and

learning from successful AI implementations across different African markets. The challenges weface are broadly similar (in many areas) across the continent, and collective learning will accelerateour progress.

Building tomorrow’s HR profession today

The conversation that began in that January session has evolved into an urgent imperative. AfricanHR professionals must embrace AI not as a threat to be feared, but as a tool to be mastered. Thisrequires developing new competencies while strengthening the uniquely human skills that remainour competitive advantage.The path forward demands both individual initiative and collective action. HR professionals mustcommit to continuous learning, experimenting with AI tools, and developing the critical thinkingskills needed to use them effectively. Professional bodies must step up with relevant trainingprogrammes and ethical frameworks. Organisations must invest in upskilling their HR teamsrather than simply replacing them with technology, even if this may seem cost-effective in the shortterm.

Most importantly, we must approach AI implementation with the same contextual awareness thathas driven African innovation in other sectors. Solutions that work in Lagos may need adaptationfor Johannesburg, and frameworks developed in Accra may require modification for Casablanca.

Our strength lies not in blindly adopting global best practices, but in thoughtfully adapting themto our unique contexts and challenges.

The AI revolution in HR is not coming. It’s here. The question for African HR professionals is

whether we’ll lead this transformation or be led by it. Given our track record of technological

innovation and our deep understanding of people and culture, we have every reason to believe wecan be at the forefront of this change. But only if we act decisively, learn continuously, and neverforget that at the heart of human resources lies the irreplaceable value of human insight andconnection.

.Dr Dotun Ayeni is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Human Resource Management at EdinburghNapier University, Scotland. She is also Director at BHM Holdings UK and a Chartered Member ofboth the CIPD (UK) and CIPM (Nigeria). Her research and writings focus on digital technologiesand artificial intelligence in the workplace, flexible work arrangements, informal work, and talentmanagement practices in Africa. She can be followed on LinkedIn at @oladotunayeni. All viewsexpressed are her own.