The deployment of artificial intelligence and humanoid robots in workplaces is gradually materializing, prompting experts to warn that companies face inevitable and significant changes to their organizational operations. The shift requires building systems based on human-humanoid collaboration, rather than the traditional approach of designing organizations and processes around human workers alone.
According to industry sources on the 9th, the workplace introduction of humanoids such as Tesla's Optimus and Boston Dynamics' Atlas is expected to accelerate this year, intensifying corporate concerns about personnel and labor management. If humanoids become the primary agents of Fordist production systems—originally designed to maximize human labor productivity—companies must redefine the scope and role of human labor and develop new organizational management approaches accordingly.
"With the spread of physical AI, humans will increasingly serve as supervisors who monitor robot operations and respond to exceptional situations," said Kim Ki-seung, professor of economics at Pusan National University. "We need to carefully consider how to utilize human workers amid these changes."
Experts forecast that future HR management systems will focus on supplementing humanoid and AI shortcomings and overseeing their operations. While traditional management emphasized boosting worker motivation to improve performance, the humanoid era requires managing organizations and personnel to maximize robot productivity. HR departments will shift from recruitment and performance evaluation toward designing human-machine collaboration systems and maximizing efficiency.
Boundaries between departments are also expected to blur. Overall process management will become critical, enabling workers to monitor various operations and immediately address AI or humanoid malfunctions—a departure from fixed-role assignments.
Leadership requirements within companies will also evolve. "Techno-literacy"—the ability to understand technology—is projected to become a core leadership competency, superseding traditional emphases on organizational harmony and worker motivation.
"With the emergence of humanoids and AI, collaboration with machines will become a significant topic in related academic fields, alongside existing concepts such as performance management, organizational culture, and motivation," analyzed Choi Sung-yong, professor at Hanyang University Business School.