What is the link between AI’s impact on organizations and the idea of liquidity conceptualized by philosopher and sociologist Zygmunt Bauman [1]? Both point to the same reality: an environment in constant motion, where reference points shift along with ongoing transformations. With AI, companies see their jobs, skills, and ways of operating change continuously. Staying competitive now requires continuous learning and adaptation.
AI gives rise to a new organizational model
In the early 2000s, Zygmunt Bauman coined the concept of “liquid modernity” to describe the gradual dissolution of rigid social structures under the effect of profound transformations such as the emergence of the internet, globalization, or the declining power of states. Applied to the world of work, this framework helps make sense of current dynamics.
Today, automation, digitization, predictive tools, and above all artificial intelligence embody this “liquid modernity.” They transform organizations at a deep level. AI goes beyond being a mere tool: it reshapes jobs, roles, and ways of working, giving rise to a new organizational model, that of the liquid organization.
This continuous capacity for adaptation defines this type of organization. Teams, skills, and functions are no longer fixed; they evolve alongside ongoing transformations. For companies, the question is no longer whether to integrate AI, but whether they can support the changes it brings across the whole organization, particularly regarding employees’ skills.
Continuous learning: the condition for the liquid organization
As roles shift under the influence of AI, keeping knowledge and skills up to date becomes a core part of any talent management strategy. Without this, the model loses its meaning.
One response involves developing employees’ skills so they can keep performing their duties or adjust to changes in their role, for example a marketing specialist who now broadens their expertise through data analysis. This is what’s known as upskilling.
The second, reskilling, allows people to acquire new skills in order to take on a different role within the organization, for example a worker who once did their job manually and now learns to take part in automated processes.
Internal academies, mentoring, certifications, and learning platforms support this ongoing skills evolution. Yet this transformation reaches far beyond technical profiles alone. As automation advances further, judgment, interpretive ability, and decision-making become increasingly decisive. Artificial intelligence does not erase talent; it redefines the skills that matter.
Reshaping: turning adaptation into a competitive edge
Developing skills has become essential, though this approach alone no longer suffices. Companies must also be able to continuously adjust their teams, functions, and processes. This is the whole challenge of reshaping.
While the first two concepts allow employees to develop their skills, the third goes further: it moves the organization itself. In practice, it creates a dynamic of constant adjustment, meaning teams form and reform according to need, functions evolve without waiting for a formal reorganization, and processes are continuously fine-tuned to meet market and business demands. Change stops being a one-time event and becomes a permanent state.
Human resources are responsible for orchestrating this transformation. Their mission now is to develop skills at the same pace as the organization’s needs. The challenge extends beyond simply training employees, toward making adaptation a permanent way of functioning. This is where the competitive advantage of the liquid organization lies.
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[1] Matthieu Noël, “What is ‘liquid society,’ the sociological concept popularized by Emmanuel Macron?”, France Inter, September 19, 2023. https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/zoom-zoom-zen/zoom-zoom-zen-du-mardi-19-septembre-2023-6683229
