Human Resources in the Era of AI

Passerini, Monteiro and Fleurence panel at FAO

During the AHRMIO Annual Conference 2024, held at the FAO Offices of the United Nations in Rome, Seton Hall Provost Katia Passerini, Ph.D., delivered remarks on the disruption AI is bringing to higher education. As part of a panel discussion, moderated by Olivier Fleurence from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Passerini shared her insights with personnel managers from intergovernmental development organizations. The panel also included St. John's University's Basilio Monteiro, Ph.D.,who captivated the audience with his thought-provoking philosophy-rich exploration on "Humanizing AI: The agonizing relationship between anthropomorphism of the machine and mechanomorphism of the human."

Monteiro's well-crafted essay focused on humanity's evolving relationship with technology, tracing the journey from ancient mechanisms that enhanced human capabilities-like the deus ex machina-to today's sophisticated tools. Through his rich narrative, Monteiro illustrated how these technological advancements have continually redefined our understanding of what it means to be human. Drawing on historical and philosophical frameworks, he reflected on the intrinsic characteristics that distinguish humans, emphasizing that while technology can amplify our capabilities, it is our capacity for introspection, empathy, and connection that remains fundamentally unique. His insights underscored a vital message: as AI advances, we must recognize and preserve the essence of human identity within a technologically augmented world.

Provost Passerini began her remarks with a story from the centuries-old University of Coimbra, where even the now-unremarkable chalkboard once sparked intense debate as a disruptive pedagogical innovation, upending educational norms. Her narrative served as a springboard to examine how AI, like the blackboard before it, is reshaping the educational landscape and challenging institutions to adapt thoughtfully and boldly.

Building upon the Coimbra's landscape, Passerini unfolded five powerful themes. First, she called for embracing disruption as an opportunity for transformative growth, invoking Harvard's Clayton Christensen and the theory of "disruptive innovation." Next, she emphasized the importance of transforming information into meaningful knowledge, citing the historical Joanina Library as an example of intellectual community-building and knowledge socialization. Her third point reminded attendees of humanity's unique capacity for adaptation-a survival skill echoed in Darwinian theory and Kuhn's paradigm shifts.

Passerini's fourth theme introduced a "caring economy," emphasizing that AI cannot replace essential human-centered services like healthcare, personal well-being and compassionate care needs that are critical in a world demanding human touch at scale. Finally, she urged the audience of personnel leaders to "nurture the spirit," pointing to Catholic values of care for the whole person as central to higher education's enduring mission.

In concluding her speech, Passerini referred to philosopher and paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's words, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience," underscoring that even as AI revolutionizes education, the human experience must remain at the heart of all endeavors.

Seton Hall was also well represented by School of Diplomacy and International Relations alumnus and Advisory Council member Dalai Fazio, who hosted the audience of human resources managers at Deloitte's offices in Rome, celebrating the university's global connections and the incredible outreach of Seton Hall's alumni network.

Categories: Nation and World, Science and Technology