People think HR and IT are simple functions in their own right. They’re not – they’re complex, nuanced, and interdependent. In fact, they’re two sides of the same coin: people and technology.

Since the invention of the spear, the wheel, the printing press, the first computer, the internet, and now AI – technology has always moved faster than people. While tech evolves, people… don’t. Not in the same way.

A recent BBC article has stirred a few things up – Why firms are merging HR and IT departments – and that’s good. We need conversations and debate, more now than ever.

IT has been around since the dawn of computing. My first job was on a manufacturing plant with six IBM PCs and a small mainframe powering ten green screen terminals. I was the only person in IT – the rest were enthusiastic amateurs with other day jobs.

Fast forward to now: everyone has multiple devices, processing happens in cloud locations we can’t even name, and AI is writing homework, building apps, and crafting business strategies.

Do I think it’s nonsense that HR and IT might merge? No – it’s already happened. That’s the role of the COO in many businesses. Add finance into the mix and you’ve got a trifecta of operational infrastructure.

But if you’re saying this merger is because of AI – that’s simply mad.

Let’s be clear: AI is just another technology. It’s in the hype cycle. It’s not your colleague, your friend, or your mate. The moment we start treating it like a person, we make the mistake of devaluing both the tech and the human.

Yes, HR has been simplified by tech – automated through process, policy, platforms, and law. But tech is only getting more complex. Every business runs on data and digital capability. Tech is now the operational foundation – and it’s only expanding.

If the reason to combine HR and IT is about cost and structural clarity, crack on. Just be honest about it. But let’s not pretend this is about some AI-led revolution.

The next evolution is already here: the fading lines between CIO, CTO, CPO, and CDO. They’re all tech roles. What matters is this – you need one technology strategy, just like you need one people strategy.

People and tech are symbiotic. You can’t have one without the other. But let’s be clear – only one of them scales revenue, boosts margin, and reduces risk.

And spoiler alert: it’s not people.

But, if you think managing technology is hard, try leading people through this new age of AI.