We recently spoke with David Barry for Reworked about People Skills, Microsoft’s new AI-powered approach to workforce capability mapping.

There’s clear potential here:

– Dynamic, real-time skills visibility

– Scalable insights into workforce capabilities

– A move beyond rigid, outdated taxonomies

But also important limitations:

– AI inferences without human verification can mislead

– Skill signals are not the same as skill readiness

– Taxonomies alone don’t drive workforce strategy

As we shared in the article:

1. A customizable taxonomy isn’t just about labeling — it’s about enabling better decisions: who to hire, how to develop, and where to grow.

2. There’s momentum here — and risk.

Adoption will depend not just on the tech, but on how thoughtfully it’s integrated into real decision-making processes.

Where does your organization stand?

Curious to hear how others are approaching the shift to dynamic skills frameworks.

Link to the full article

Thanks again to Reworked and David Barry for the discussion.