Barcelona was a busy and interesting week! I had the opportunity to attend Shift AI Europe (13–14 October 2026), joining SaaS founders, AI builders, investors and business leaders to discuss how AI is changing the software industry and the way we work.
As someone working in the global business and workforce space with Empleyo, I was particularly interested in one question: How will AI change the way we work, and what does that mean for the people behind our businesses
One thing became clear throughout the event: No matter how much technology changes, people will always be at the centre of good businesses and great ideas.
Here’s what stood out to me.
Shift AI Europe: AI Should Give Us More Time to Focus on People
One of the most interesting discussions came from the keynotes by Jacco van der Kooij and JB Daguené.
A point that really caught my attention was how AI is changing the way people spend their time at work.For example, in software engineering, the time spent writing code is expected to drop from 32% in 2024 to just 5% by 2027.
That doesn’t mean engineers are becoming less important. It means they can spend more time understanding problems, planning solutions, reviewing work and making sure everything is done properly.
I see the same thing happening in sales.
Sales Is About More Than Sending More Emails
AI can already help sales teams with research, finding potential customers, preparing proposals and handling repetitive tasks.
That’s great. But I think there’s a bigger question businesses should be asking:
Are we fixing the actual problems in our sales process, or are we just trying to generate more leads?
I’ve seen how easy it is for companies to focus on the number of emails sent, calls made and leads generated. But more activity doesn’t always mean more business.
Sometimes, the problem is much simpler:
● Are we speaking to the right people?
● Is our message relevant to their business?
● Are we reaching them at the right time?
● Are we having real conversations or just sending follow-ups?
● Do we understand what our customers actually need?
● Are we doing enough to turn opportunities into paying customers?
● Are we looking after customers after the deal is closed?
AI can help us with research, reporting and repetitive work. But building trust, understanding a customer’s problems and finding the right solution still need people.
For me, that’s the real benefit of AI.
It should help us spend less time on admin and more time talking to customers, solving problems and building relationships.
And, of course, having the right people in your sales and technology teams makes all the difference.
What Does This Mean for Businesses?
I think businesses need to start looking at AI differently.
It’s not just about adopting new tools or automating as many tasks as possible. It’s about understanding where technology can genuinely help your team work better.
A few things worth considering:
1. Look at where your team spends its time.
Which tasks are repetitive and could be handled by AI? Where could your people spend more time if those tasks were taken off their plates?
2. Don’t lose the human connection.
Customers still want to speak to people who understand their challenges. Technology can make the process faster, but relationships are what build trust.
3. Invest in the right skills.
As roles change, businesses need people who can adapt, think critically, solve problems and work alongside new technologies.
4. Focus on results, not just activity.
Automating tasks doesn’t automatically improve performance. Businesses still need to understand what’s working, what’s not and where they need to improve.
My Biggest Takeaway from Shift AI Europe
I left Barcelona thinking about how much the world of work is changing.
AI is giving businesses new ways to work faster, improve processes and get more done. But I don’t think the biggest opportunity is simply doing more with fewer people.
I think it’s about giving people more time to do meaningful work.
Whether you’re building an AI company, growing a sales team or running an established business, you still need people who understand the job, care about the outcome and know how to get things done.
Technology will continue to evolve. The way we work will change with it.
But one thing I believe will remain the same: Great technology can make work easier. Great people make it happen.
That’s also what we’re focused on at Empleyo. Helping businesses build and manage teams across borders, so they can focus less on the complexities of international hiring and more on the people and ideas driving their growth.
If you’re exploring how to grow your team internationally, feel free to contact us.
A big thank you to the Shift AI Europe team, speakers and everyone I had the chance to meet and exchange ideas with in Barcelona.
Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
