What happens when leading organisations come together to rethink how we connect people, skills and opportunities?
On 21 September 2026, the AI Matching Community gathered in Utrecht, bringing together HR leaders, talent specialists, technology experts and innovators from across Europe.
Hosted by 8vance at Kanaal30, the invitation-only event welcomed representatives from around 50 organisations, including Aegon, Alliander, EY, PwC, Capgemini, Heineken, Philips, KLM, UWV, TNO, Schiphol and Randstad.
One shared ambition brought us together: exploring how AI-powered matching can help organisations unlock talent, improve mobility and create a more dynamic labour market.
And perhaps even more importantly: how do we turn this potential into reality?
Watch the aftermovie
An afternoon of fresh perspectives, inspiring conversations and new connections. Get a glimpse of the energy, ideas and people behind the AI Matching Community.
Three keynotes. Many perspectives. One shared challenge.
The afternoon started with three keynote contributions, each offering a different perspective on the future of AI-powered talent matching.
Together, they explored the opportunities and challenges of moving towards a labour market in which skills, capabilities and potential matter more than traditional job titles and CVs.
A recurring question was how organisations can move beyond experimentation and start delivering real value with AI matching.
Technology is developing rapidly. But successful adoption also requires trust, organisational change, a compelling business case and new ways of working.
From inspiration to conversation
The heart of the afternoon was a series of interactive roundtable discussions.
Participants exchanged experiences and perspectives on some of the biggest questions surrounding AI matching:
1. From jobs to skills
How can organisations move beyond rigid job descriptions and recognise people’s actual capabilities and potential?
2. Making the business case
Where does AI matching create measurable value? How can organisations translate better matching into business outcomes, workforce agility and new career opportunities?
3. Responsible AI and trust
How can organisations make AI-powered matching transparent, fair and trustworthy while keeping people involved in important decisions?
4. From technology to transformation
What does it take to embed AI matching in everyday HR processes, talent mobility and organisational decision-making?
5. Beyond organisational boundaries
What if talent opportunities were no longer limited to a single employer? Could interoperable matching technologies enable broader talent ecosystems?
These conversations demonstrated the value of bringing different perspectives together: employers, technology providers, consultants, researchers and public-sector organisations.
Five ideas worth taking forward
Looking back at the themes of the afternoon, five ideas stand out.
Skills create possibilities that job titles often hide. By understanding capabilities beyond traditional roles, organisations can discover opportunities that would otherwise remain invisible.
AI matching is about more than recruitment. Its potential extends to internal mobility, workforce development, reskilling and connecting talent across organisations.
The business case matters. Innovation becomes sustainable when organisations can connect matching technology to measurable results.
Trust is essential. Transparency, responsible data use and human oversight are fundamental to meaningful adoption.
Collaboration accelerates progress. No single organisation can transform the labour market alone. Sharing experiences, standards and practical lessons helps the entire ecosystem move forward.
These are themes for continued exploration, not final conclusions. And that is exactly why the AI Matching Community exists.
Explore the presentations
Want to revisit the ideas or share them with colleagues?
The presentations from the afternoon are available below.
- Han Stoffels, CEO 8vance — The atomisation of work.
- Jana Retkowsky — The Ghost Team: what AI really changes at work.
- Laurens Waling — Poll results in interaction with the audience.
This is just the beginning
The AI Matching Community is about connecting people who believe we can organise work and talent differently.
Not simply by introducing more technology, but by rethinking how we discover potential, create opportunities and connect people to meaningful work.
A big thank you to our speakers, roundtable hosts and everyone who contributed their questions, insights and experiences.
Let’s keep learning, experimenting and building together.
From jobs to skills. From searching to matching. From planning to possibilities.
Interested in joining the conversation or contributing to future AI Matching Community activities? Send us a message.
Organised by 8vance | 21 September 2026
