A new Salesforce study of 200 global HR leaders reveals that the AI-powered workforce is not just a passing trend — it’s a transformative force reshaping business strategy. The implementation of AI agents is expected to surge by 327% over the next two years, potentially leading to a 30% boost in productivity. In response, HR executives are redesigning organizational structures and redefining employee skill sets. The findings suggest that nearly one in four employees will be reassigned to new roles as part of the digital workforce rollout.
HR Leaders Embrace Reskilling for the AI Era
The study highlights a strong focus on reskilling programs in preparation for AI integration. Over 80% of HR executives are either already reskilling employees or planning to do so, aiming to enhance workforce competitiveness in an AI-driven labor market. Notably, most HR leaders agree that soft skills—like collaboration and relationship-building—will become even more essential as humans and AI agents work side by side.
Looking ahead, HR leaders agree that hybrid teams of humans and AI agents will become standard within five years. However, 85% say their organizations have not yet implemented AI agents, and 73% report that employees still don’t understand how digital coworkers will affect their daily tasks.
“We are witnessing a profound transformation in the nature of work. The AI-powered workforce unlocks new levels of productivity, autonomy, and empowerment at unprecedented speed,” said Nathalie Scardino, President and Chief People Officer at Salesforce. “Every industry will need to redesign roles, retrain talent, and equip every employee with the social, technological, and business skills necessary to thrive in the digital future of work.”
The AI Workforce in Numbers
- 80% of HR leaders believe that by 2029, most teams will include both people and AI agents.
- 86% say integrating AI agents with human teams will be a critical part of their HR responsibilities.
- AI agent adoption is expected to rise from 15% to 64% in just two years — a 327% increase by 2027.
- Full AI integration is expected to deliver a 30% productivity increase and a 19% reduction in labor costs, saving approximately $11,064 per employee (based on the OECD’s 2023 average annual salary of $58,232).
- 77% believe AI will transform their companies’ organizational structures.
- 89% say AI will enable more accurate reallocation of workers to better-fitting roles.
- Leaders predict that 61% of employees will stay in current roles and collaborate with AI agents, while 23% will be reassigned to new roles or teams.
- 88% agree that internal redeployment is more cost-effective than external hiring.
- 81% are currently (20%) or planning (61%) to implement reskilling initiatives.
Preparing for a Tech-Enabled Future
With only 15% of organizations having fully deployed AI agents, HR leaders are prioritizing technology readiness. They anticipate:
- Hiring increases in IT, R&D, and sales departments.
- Reassigning staff to technical roles, such as data scientists or technical architects.
- AI literacy becoming a core competency in the emerging agent-based economy.
The Human Side of the AI Revolution
While technical roles are critical, soft skills are rising in strategic importance:
- 75% of HR leaders say AI will drive demand for interpersonal skills.
- Employees will increasingly be moved into relationship-focused roles, such as partnerships and client management, ranking second in priority after technical roles.
- Collaboration and adaptability are seen as key traits for thriving in hybrid human-AI teams.
- Customer service, operations, and finance teams are expected to shrink, with some tasks taken over by AI agents.
Still in the Planning Stage
Despite the urgency, most HR leaders are still preparing rather than executing:
- Only 15% have fully deployed AI agents in their organizations.
- 73% say their employees still don’t understand how AI agents will impact their daily work.
Methodology: Salesforce, in partnership with NewtonX, conducted a double-blind online survey of 200 global HR executives, including Chief Human Resources Officers and HR Directors.
Source: CEO.com.pl
