by Jacques Colle, Marisol Solano Garcia | 9 Jun, 2026 | Competencies and Power, Preamble |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping power dynamics within organisations. This article offers a multidisciplinary analysis — drawing on computer science, psychology, philosophy and ethics — of how AI is transforming the world of work, from its opportunities to its most pressing risks.
Building on a foundational exploration of Machine Learning, Deep Learning and algorithmic bias, the article examines the psychological responses AI triggers among employees and employers alike: anxiety, fear, frustration and a growing sense of loss of control in the face of task automation.
Beyond individual reactions, the article investigates how AI influences organisational power relations — analysing the opportunities it creates to reduce skills gaps, the dynamics it introduces into decision-making processes, and the risks it poses in amplifying existing inequalities.
Grounded in a historical, conceptual and practical framework, and aligned with the European Union’s regulatory approach to AI governance, this paper delivers a critical reflection on how organisations can harness AI responsibly — building a more inclusive, transparent and sustainable professional future.
by Jacques Colle, Marisol Solano Garcia | 9 Jun, 2026 | Competencies and Power |
From Alan Turing’s groundbreaking question “Can machines think?” in 1950 to today’s complex intelligent systems, this article traces the historical evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its profound impact on organisations and the world of work.
Drawing on the insights of pioneers such as Turing, McCarthy and Minsky, and grounded in the European Parliament’s definition (2020), AI is positioned as a technology that replicates human functions — learning, decision-making and problem-solving — now applied across healthcare, transport, energy and industry.
The article also examines Innerarity’s (2025) critical perspective on algorithmic governance and the risks of delegating political and everyday decisions to automated systems. Alongside this, it explores the organisational implications of AI adoption: the redistribution of power, unequal access to development opportunities, and potential biases embedded in task allocation, performance appraisals and selection processes.
An essential read for anyone seeking to understand AI’s historical roots and deploy it responsibly in an era of accelerating digital transformation.
by Jacques Colle, Marisol Solano Garcia | 9 Jun, 2026 | Competencies and Power |
Generative AI (Gen AI) is reshaping the professional landscape at unprecedented speed — ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly users faster than any app in internet history. Yet its impact is far from uniform. This article examines how Gen AI is transforming roles, power dynamics and career trajectories within organisations.
Drawing on recent data — including a striking generational divide where 40% of management students use Gen AI daily compared to just 15% of current managers — the article exposes the growing tension between digitally fluent new talent and organisations unprepared for full integration.
At the same time, it raises a critical warning: automating entry-level positions risks undermining the very roles that cultivate future leaders and sustain organisational culture. Rather than eliminating these positions, the authors argue for redefining them around four pillars where AI amplifies human talent — fostering critical thinking, collaboration, resilience and professional judgment.
The message is clear: the workplace of tomorrow demands that organisations view AI not as a replacement for people, but as a catalyst for meaningful, human-centred work.
by Jacques Colle, Marisol Solano Garcia | 9 Jun, 2026 | Competencies and Power |
How does Artificial Intelligence reshape power dynamics within organisations? This article examines the interplay between AI, competencies and power through multiple theoretical lenses — including Foucault, Weber and Bourdieu — analysing how classical power types (legitimate, coercive, reward, expert and referent) are transformed by the rise of intelligent systems.
At the centre of this analysis lies the competency fracture: the widening gap between employees who master AI and those who fall behind. While AI holds real potential to bridge this divide — through task automation, personalised training and accessible interfaces — it equally risks deepening it when inclusive policies are absent.
The article introduces algorithmic manipulation as an emerging power dimension, structured around four interlocking forces: technical, structural, symbolic and political power. Together, these quietly reconfigure recruitment, decision-making and organisational culture in ways that are rarely transparent.
The conclusion is unambiguous: the future balance will not depend solely on the power of AI tools, but on how organisations develop every individual’s capabilities — ensuring no one is left behind.
by Jacques Colle, Marisol Solano Garcia | 7 May, 2026 | Competencies and Power |
AI is neither an inevitable threat nor a silver bullet — it is a revealer and accelerator of dynamics already present within organisations. This concluding article draws together the key findings of a comprehensive analysis on competencies, power and algorithmic inequality in the modern workplace.
The findings are twofold. On one hand, AI opens unprecedented opportunities: broader access to training, personalised career paths and the valorisation of innovation. On the other hand, it risks deepening the divide between those who master algorithms and those left behind, impoverishing human relationships at work, and introducing opaque decision-making mechanisms that can reproduce or amplify pre-existing biases.
Moving forward requires organisations to fundamentally rethink their management models, training strategies and inclusion policies — with the clear objective of transforming AI from a source of exclusion into a lever of collective autonomy.
The central conclusion is unambiguous: the ability to build a more inclusive and sustainable professional future will depend on how organisations learn to combine technological innovation, social responsibility and respect for human values — not just integrating AI, but doing so fairly and transparently.
