Alejandro Pérez on AI, Workforce Restructuring, and the Future of Employment Law

Alejandro Pérez is a Partner at Pierson Ferdinand PLLC, specializing in labour and employment law, cyber/privacy law, and emerging technologies. A nationally recognized employment attorney, workplace investigator, and DEI thought leader, he advises employers ranging from startups to multinational corporations on litigation, compliance, and internal investigations. Fluent in Spanish and a former HR professional, he offers cultural fluency and business insight in addressing discrimination, harassment, pay equity, and I-9 compliance. President of the ACLU of Arizona, Pérez is also a sought-after speaker and trainer. He shares his personal story to mentor others and foster fairness, respect, and inclusion in workplaces.

In this interview, Scott Douglas Jacobsen speaks with Alejandro Pérez, Partner at Pierson Ferdinand PLLC and President of the ACLU of Arizona, about workforce restructuring in the age of artificial intelligence. Pérez, a nationally recognized employment attorney, workplace investigator, and DEI thought leader, discusses how AI is reshaping job design, staffing priorities, and the need for agility within organizations. He emphasizes transparency, continuous learning, and re-skilling as critical to employee resilience. Drawing from his expertise in employment and cybersecurity law, Pérez outlines best practices for supporting employees during layoffs and highlights the long-term implications for career advancement and industry stability.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Today, we are with Alejandro Pérez. He is a Partner at Pierson Ferdinand PLLC, specializing in labour and employment law, cyber/privacy law, and emerging technologies. A nationally recognized employment attorney, workplace investigator, and DEI thought leader, he advises employers ranging from startups to multinational corporations on litigation, compliance, and internal investigations. Fluent in Spanish and a former HR professional, he brings cultural fluency and business insight to issues such as discrimination, harassment, pay equity, and I-9 compliance. President of the ACLU of Arizona, Pérez is also a sought-after speaker and trainer, and he often shares his personal story to mentor others and foster fairness, respect, and inclusion in the workplace. Thank you very much for joining me today. I appreciate it.

Alejandro Pérez: Oh, you are very welcome. Happy to be here.

Jacobsen: So, what do you consider the core business market and strategic factors driving large-scale workforce restructuring in some of the major tech companies?

Pérez: I think much of it has to do with AI investments and shifting strategic priorities from one focus to another. We are seeing a recalibration of workforce structures to better align with those shifts. Employers are positioning AI both as a cost lever and as an operational transformer. So, roles are being redefined. Many traditional roles—like customer service and certain marketing positions—are either being outsourced or replaced by AI.

Jacobsen: How is this integration of artificial intelligence and automation happening in concrete terms? How is it reshaping organizational staffing needs and skill priorities in particular?

Pérez: AI has been transformative in reshaping workplace needs, putting a heightened focus on data literacy, systems thinking, and interdisciplinary roles. What we are seeing is a strong emphasis on AI skills. That is where much of the demand and focus are right now.

Jacobsen: What about job design across the tech sector? When an organization restructures on a large scale, the meaning of a particular role often shifts—sometimes drastically. What approaches are companies taking toward that?

Pérez: The key approach is agility—being ready to pivot. It is an incredibly agile workforce and an incredibly agile business environment. We do not know what tomorrow will bring or which roles will suddenly become essential. Employers need to be prepared to pivot quickly and remain flexible as things change. Right now, massive investments and capital are flowing into AI. However, that could change and develop in different ways over time. So the most important thing is to remain flexible and adaptable.

Jacobsen: What about proactive measures that teams can take to ensure workforce agility? When restructuring, how can organizations minimize disruption?

Pérez: The first step is to encourage resilience within roles. Talk to your teams, make sure they know they need to be agile, flexible, and ready to pivot at a moment’s notice. Transparency about what is happening can reduce many of the morale issues that arise. Employees are fearful of being displaced due to AI or the potential disappearance of their job functions. I do not necessarily see that as the case. You still need people to operate AI. However, transparency helps, as does flattening hierarchies, creating cross-functional teams, and ensuring talent pools are more fluid overall.

Jacobsen: Does AI and automation function essentially as a big hammer? In other words, a larger vector per person operating it—making them more effective if used properly, but not necessarily making them obsolete?

Pérez: Exactly, that is precisely it. AI makes an employee much more efficient if used correctly. It should not displace the employee.

Jacobsen: Are there areas where people expected AI to help but instead found it counterproductive?

Pérez: I have not seen that broadly, but I can give an example from the legal field. Some attorneys have gotten into serious trouble after asking AI to draft briefs, only to find that the AI “hallucinated” arguments or case law that did not exist. Judges are coming down hard on that. We are also seeing some hesitancy in the legal sector overall, with courts creating rules around AI. In some jurisdictions, if you use AI, you must certify that you have personally verified all cited authorities, while in others, you may be barred from using AI in filings altogether. I imagine similar issues arise in other sectors as well.

Jacobsen: Have hallucinations been reduced significantly enough that AI can now be used more safely in those gray areas?

Pérez: I do not think so. In my experience, you still have to take the time to verify and quality-check everything. For example, sometimes I will experiment with AI and ask it to help me come up with an argument. I will speak to it almost like it is a person. What I have found is that some of the output is useful, but some of it is fabricated—even today. So I will give it feedback: “You gave me some fake material here.” Maybe it improves over time, but I do not use it heavily in my practice. I tend to experiment with it because, in addition to employment law, I also practice cybersecurity. I am always curious about emerging technologies and how they impact the workforce.

Jacobsen: Are there specific traditional tech roles that have been around for a while that are simply going to go the way of the dodo bird?

Pérez: I think we will see some reduction in roles like customer service. I do not believe most positions will disappear entirely, but the scale of those teams will shrink significantly. For example, in transportation, perhaps drivers with companies like Waymo could eventually be displaced. However, even there, limitations remain. In my community, a Waymo car cannot even enter. So I think the trend will be fewer large-scale positions, with a focus on consolidation—stripping down to what is essential and eliminating excess.

Jacobsen: What about adjacent industry ripples? If one industry undergoes restructuring, connected industries often feel the impact, even if not directly targeted.

Pérez: Good question. The short answer is yes—adjacent industries will inevitably feel the impact. Fewer jobs in one area directly affect the financial sector and ripple into nearly everything else. These changes also influence talent pools and the educational sector, as people recalibrate to meet shifting demands. Companies are recalibrating, and individuals must do the same—preparing for changes in their professions and careers.

Jacobsen: Does this, in your mind, bring to the fore the importance of continuous learning and re-skilling as employees face an evolving demand in the tech job market?

Pérez: Absolutely. Life has changed so much. In the past, people often worked for the same company for decades. My parents did that—my mother was a factory worker. However, many of those jobs have since been automated or robotized. Today, employees must constantly be in learning mode. The most important takeaway is to utilize whatever benefits are available. Your salary is not just your paycheck; it also includes benefits like tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities. Employees should take advantage of these to remain competitive.

Employees should continuously seek out opportunities to learn and re-skill, especially in the tech sector, but really in any sector. Stay current on how industries are changing and how those changes apply to your role. Re-skill as much as possible, learn as much as possible, and strengthen your skill set to withstand potential layoffs. If a layoff does occur, having up-to-date skills makes you more attractive to other employers. Employers, in turn, should be transparent about changes and provide opportunities for employees to learn new skills and take advantage of re-skilling programs.

Jacobsen: What are best practices in supporting employees during layoffs in order to preserve morale and maintain future talent pipelines, in addition to protecting brand reputation?

Pérez: Good question. First, employers must comply with all applicable laws. For example, when laying off a certain number of employees, companies may have to provide legally required notice. The federal WARN Act requires this, and some states have their versions of the law. Compliance is the first step.

The second step is transparency. Communicate with employees well in advance—do not just meet the legal minimum, but provide as much notice as possible—partner with other companies to explore relocation or reemployment opportunities. Offer support like resume-writing services and career coaching. The goal is to make the process feel thoughtful and supportive rather than abrupt and impersonal.

Companies that handle layoffs this way preserve goodwill. Often, organizations that conduct layoffs will be hiring again in the future, so they want former employees to view them positively. Protecting the brand is critical. Even if some criticism arises, it is much harder for people to fault a company that treated employees with empathy and fairness. Ultimately, treat people as people. Apply the golden rule—treat employees as you would want to be treated yourself.

Jacobsen: Long-term labour economics—how will current restructuring trends redefine ideas around advancement in the technology industry and career stability?

Pérez: I think it is going to create different types of positions. We will see a restructuring that flattens job hierarchies and changes how positions are organized overall. As for career stability and advancement, I believe there will be significant opportunities for those who keep up with the times, continuously learn, and update their skills. Continuous learning will be pivotal. Employees who re-skill and adapt will be well-positioned for advancement in this evolving environment.

Jacobsen: Excellent. Alejandro, thank you very much for your time today. It was a pleasure speaking with you and meeting you. 

Pérez: Thank you so much.

Jacobsen: Bye-bye.

Pérez: Bye.

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Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978-1-0692343) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369-6885). He writes for The Good Men Project, International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN 0018-7399; Online: ISSN 2163-3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), A Further Inquiry, and other media. He is a member in good standing of numerous media organizations.

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