So many organizations are embracing remote work, or hybrid work. There are different definitions of hybrid, but generally it’s about flexibility as to where and when people work. It can also refer to the way companies operate, such as the heavy use of contingent or contract workers.

Either way, hybrid work can exacerbate the problem of retaining and developing diverse and top talent.

People in the same location hear about new internal jobs around the water cooler. They hear about a cool new project at lunch. They meet someone at happy hour who becomes an informal mentor. They brought with them a new employee from their previous job, and the two rise up the new company’s ladder together. That can work for the people who benefit, but can leave others at a disadvantage.

Artificial intelligence can help address these inequities, and actually improve equity and inclusion in a hybrid environment.

Let’s take some examples.

Artificial intelligence can help you level the playing field when it comes to employees finding mentors. What happens in a talent intelligence platform is AI is used to identify the potential of people, and provide a deep understanding of a person’s capabilities. The platform can then match employees with potential mentors who have experience and skills in the areas that the employee wants to learn about. An employee, for example, who is interested in and shows potential for customer-service management, can be matched with a customer-service leader who they might have otherwise never met. It’s a more inclusive system than informal mentoring based on who’s working in the same location.

AI can also be used for finding internal projects. A talent intelligence platform notifies employees when there’s a short-term team being put together to work on a project. These projects of course already happen, but they are often put together based on who knows who. AI makes it more inclusive, connecting people based on their skills, goals, and interests.

And, perhaps most importantly, AI helps level the playing field when it comes to finding new jobs internally. Right now, promotions so often happen based on the informal networking we’ve been talking about, which isn’t a very inclusive process. But, with a talent intelligence platform, employees are always working toward their goals. They see what skills they need to add to get to the next internal job they want. Managers see which employees have the relevant skills to get promoted.

AI and the way work is changing offer the chance to provide more inclusive and equitable opportunities than ever before.