From skills to tasks: the new frontier of work with Marc Ramos & Jeroen Van Hautte

Episode summary

In this episode of The TechWolf Podcast, Marc Ramos, former Chief Learning Officer at Cornerstone and strategic advisor to HR tech companies, joins TechWolf CTO Jeroen Van Hautte live in New York to explore one of the most important shifts in workforce strategy today: the rise of task intelligence.

Marc and Jeroen unpack why task-level data is fast becoming the next evolution of skills strategy. They explain how tasks offer clearer insight into what people actually do, how AI can extract this data from work systems, and why redefining proficiency around task execution, not subjective skill ratings, is key to transforming job architectures, internal mobility, and upskilling at scale.

This conversation is a must for business and HR leaders looking to make their skills strategy measurable, scalable, and aligned with real business execution.

Key takeaways on skills, tasks, and the future of work

Tasks are central to understanding work

• Tasks reflect how work is actually done, not just what people say they can do
• AI can more easily observe and validate tasks than abstract skill levels
• Organizations are starting to model around tasks instead of just jobs or competencies

Skills and tasks must work together

• Skills represent capability; tasks reflect performance
• Tasks make skills measurable in context
• The link between skills, tasks, and outcomes is critical for talent strategy

Why task intelligence is a breakthrough

• Enables clearer definitions of proficiency based on execution
• Makes reskilling and mobility more actionable
• Aligns skills initiatives more directly with business priorities

AI as an enabler of task-based strategy

• Pulls task signals from systems like JIRA, Salesforce, and CRM platforms
• Maps how human and machine work intersect
• Creates visibility into work effort, without invasive tracking

Rethinking proficiency

• Traditional skill ratings are vague and inconsistent
• Task completion gives objective evidence of ability
• Moving from “level 3 in Excel” to “built three models using Excel in real projects”

About the speakers

Marc Ramos
Marc is a former Chief Learning Officer with global experience at Google, Novartis, Oracle, and Accenture. He now advises leading HR tech startups on the future of work, skills intelligence, and AI. His insights on task intelligence have shaped how large enterprises rethink learning and workforce design.

Jeroen Van Hautte
As CTO and co-founder of TechWolf, Jeroen leads product and engineering and helped pioneer one of the industry’s first scalable AI skills inference engines. He now focuses on task-level data and how it can drive more accurate, responsive talent strategies in large organizations.

Best practices and actionable insights

For skills strategy leaders

• Integrate tasks into your existing skills roadmap
• Use tasks to define proficiency in real-world terms
• Mine digital systems for work signals: start with tools your teams already use
• Tie task visibility to business KPIs to show value across departments

When to use skills vs tasks

• Skills show transferable capability; useful for workforce planning and reskilling
• Tasks show evidence of execution; ideal for mobility, proficiency, and learning paths

Redefining value in the age of AI

• AI will replace tasks, not skills
• Skills are leverage; tasks show where that leverage delivers value
• Leading organizations will move talent between tasks faster and more effectively

Join the conversation

What’s your perspective on the rise of task intelligence? Share your take on LinkedIn and tag The TechWolf Podcast.

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