Do more with less

The AI Advantage: Empowering Global HR to Achieve More with Less at Web Summit Lisbon 2025

At Web Summit Lisbon 2025, Mariana Bandeira of ECO interviewed Marcelo Lebre, Co-founder and President of Remote. The discussion centered on how HR teams manage global workforces with fewer resources, leveraging advanced technology. Mr. Lebre highlighted that current AI significantly boosts operational efficiency, enabling companies to achieve substantially more with lean human resources.

Mr. Lebre described AI as an “Iron Man suit” for businesses, allowing a tenfold increase in execution. This technological leap helps companies maximize output from existing teams, rather than merely shrinking their size. AI streamlines processes, enhancing productivity across various functions and fostering greater ambition in global operations, impacting all sectors, not just tech.

However, AI has clear limitations. Mr. Lebre noted that tasks requiring common sense, taste, or human discernment remain beyond AI’s current capabilities. While AI processes information rapidly, it lacks the innate human ability to understand complex contexts, apply nuanced judgment, or respond empathetically to sensitive situations, which are vital in HR interactions.

Remote positions itself as an HR backbone, simplifying global workforce management, including hiring, administration, and payroll. Mr. Lebre cautioned against “agentic AI,” viewing it as anthropomorphizing technology. He clarified that AI operates on predefined inputs and data, not genuine agency, and should be understood as a powerful tool, not a sentient entity.

AI’s value extends beyond “agents.” Remote utilizes AI to analyze workforce data, identify inefficiencies, and suggest improvements. They completed performance reviews for 2,000 employees in under 48 hours using AI. This demonstrates AI’s power in large-scale data processing and analysis when integrated into appropriate organizational frameworks, driving efficiency at scale.

Global hiring remains dynamic, with patterns shifting based on economic conditions. Mr. Lebre observed a “Javelin’s paradox”: while AI reduces the need for many individual tasks, the promise of increased productivity drives a hiring boom. Companies recruit more talent to develop and deploy these advanced technologies across all industries.

Regarding the “home office versus back to work” debate, Mr. Lebre deemed it irrelevant. He stressed that companies should prioritize what best serves their business. Workplace flexibility has always existed. Many companies, even those advocating for in-office work, operate with distributed teams. The focus should be on securing the best talent, optimizing software, and achieving maximum efficiency.

Remote operates without traditional offices, employing 2,000 individuals globally, with physical offices only for legal compliance. Mr. Lebre affirmed Remote’s strong commitment to local ecosystems, including Lisbon, through initiatives with Unicor Factory and the city’s mayor. He concluded that the paramount objective for any organization is to build its absolute best version, with other considerations being secondary.