Technology has moved from a functional concern to the center of the CEO agenda in 2026. More than half of CEOs (56%) identified technological advancements as a top macroeconomic challenge, making it their No. 1 concern for the year, above inflation (38%) and economic uncertainty (36%), according to SHRM’s 2026 CEO Priorities and Perspectives report.
When CEOs were asked to name their top priorities for the next 12 months, adopting artificial intelligence topped the list (40% cited it among their top three priorities), followed by increasing revenue growth (31%) and attracting top talent (27%).
For CHROs, this moment demands more than fluency in buzzwords. It requires a fundamental shift in how HR frames its role: from steward of talent systems to architect of organizational readiness in a technology-disrupted world.
Here are practical to-do’s for HR leaders to help their CEOs move from urgency to action.
1. Translate AI urgency into workforce impact analysis.
When 40% of CEOs rank AI adoption as a top near-term priority, they want to know how AI will affect productivity, roles, and capacity.
CHROs should lead a workforce impact assessment that maps AI adoption to real work. This might involve identifying which roles are most exposed to automation, which can be augmented, and which will require new skills. This proactive analysis positions HR as a strategic partner rather than a downstream implementer.
2. Build reskilling at the scale CEOs expect.
Over the next year, nearly 9 in 10 CEOs said they expect AI to create new roles and phase out repetitive work (88%) as well as drive large-scale reskilling and upskilling (87%) in their workplaces, according to the SHRM report. CEOs understand the implications of AI, but many are also underprepared to execute. Organizations are still early in building the learning infrastructure required to deliver reskilling at scale.
For CHROs, that might look like defining differentiated learning pathways: baseline AI literacy for the entire workforce, role-specific skills for impacted jobs, and advanced capabilities for leaders and technical experts.
These learning investments should connect directly to internal mobility, performance expectations, and workforce planning. Otherwise, reskilling remains aspirational while CEOs face mounting pressure to fully adopt AI.
3. Redesign work to support efficiency and agility.
CEOs are pairing their focus on technology with a push for efficiency. SHRM’s report said that over the next year, 78% of CEOs expect greater emphasis on organizational agility, 75% anticipate workforce reductions, and 74% foresee organizational redesigns or restructurings.
CHROs should get ahead of these moves by focusing on work redesign rather than blunt headcount decisions. By analyzing work at the task level, HR can help their CEOs make more precise decisions about productivity gains, redeployment, and organizational design.
This approach can alleviate concerns about efficiency while helping avoid unnecessary disruption that can damage employee engagement and trust.
4. Lead AI governance with a people lens.
CEOs are eager to adopt AI, but they are also acutely aware of its risks. A full 88% anticipate heightened cybersecurity threats due to AI-enabled attacks and 82% expect a greater need for investment in AI governance as adoption accelerates, according to the SHRM report.
CHROs should claim a leadership role in AI governance early. While IT and legal teams address infrastructure and compliance, HR is best positioned to oversee ethical use, bias mitigation, and transparency — especially in talent decisions.
Establishing clear guardrails for AI use in hiring, performance management, and workforce analytics reassures CEOs that speed will not come at the expense of credibility or culture.
5. Reframe talent strategy around adaptability, not just attraction.
Although 27% of CEOs still cite attracting top talent as a priority for this year, the topic ranks behind AI adoption and revenue growth. This suggests a strategic shift: CEOs are increasingly focused on maximizing the value of their existing workforce.
CHROs should respond by accelerating skills-based workforce planning, internal talent marketplaces, and more flexible career pathways. This allows organizations to redeploy talent as technology reshapes work, reducing reliance on external hiring in an increasingly competitive market.
At the same time, HR must ensure leaders are equipped to manage continuous change. Manager capability will determine whether AI drives engagement or fuels disengagement.
6. Help CEOs communicate with clarity and credibility.
Finally, CHROs must help CEOs translate data into narrative. With 56% of CEOs worried about technological change at a macro level, employee uncertainty is likely.
HR should partner with their CEOs to articulate a clear message about what AI means and what it does not. This includes being transparent about disruption, explicit about investment in people, and consistent across leadership levels.
Above all, CHROs who respond with structured analysis, scalable solutions, and clear governance and communication will help their CEOs meet the moment and redefine HR’s strategic value in 2026 and beyond.
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