Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the nature of work and challenging traditional roles across every industry. For HR professionals and employees alike, understanding how AI is reshaping talent is critical to staying ahead. Fortunately, there's a clear and practical way to evaluate where your work stands in this new landscape: the 3-Bucket Analysis.

This framework, introduced by Aneesh Raman, LinkedIn's Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, encourages employees to assess their top job tasks and sort them into three categories.

Bucket 1

The first bucket includes tasks AI can fully automate—like summarizing meeting notes or drafting standard content. If your job leans heavily into this bucket, it's a sign you may need to upskill and adapt to stay relevant.

Bucket 2

The second bucket includes tasks done in collaboration with AI. Here, AI becomes your co-pilot—speeding up workflows, enhancing productivity, and allowing you to focus on higher-level thinking. Navigating this bucket well depends on your "AI literacy”—your ability to use these tools effectively and creatively in your day-to-day work.

Bucket 3

The third bucket is where distinctly human capabilities shine: tasks that require empathy, critical thinking, leadership, and innovation. These are the skills AI cannot replicate—and where future job security and opportunity increasingly lie.

So what does this shift mean for the skillsets that will matter most? Raman outlines five essential human traits that are quickly becoming the most valuable in the workplace: curiosity, compassion, creativity, courage, and communication. These “five Cs” are no longer just nice-to-haves—they’re the cornerstone of a future-ready workforce.

In fact, recent LinkedIn data from the UK suggests that relationship-building, strategic thinking, and communication are among the fastest-rising skills, outpacing even technical AI competencies. As Raman says, “Soft skills are the new hard skills.” These durable, human-centered capabilities will be the foundation of long-term success in the AI-driven workplace.

For HR leaders, this means two things: reevaluating how we assess and cultivate talent, and helping teams navigate this transformation with the right tools and training. AI is not replacing us—but it is reshaping the playing field.  With the right mindset and support, employees can pivot and thrive in a world where human skills matter more than ever.

Source: Forbes