How CHROs Can Lead the Charge on HR Tech Fluency

As artificial intelligence reshapes the HR landscape, technology skills are now rapidly becoming core competencies for the HR profession, according to SHRM’s Emerging Technology Skills in HR data brief of nearly 4 million HR-related job postings. Between Q2 2024 and Q1 2025, listings in HR job postings featuring AI-related skills surged by 209%, with similarly sharp increases in listings for data science (+96%), machine learning (+67%), and interactive data visualization (+64%). 

At the same time, only 18% of CEOs deemed their CHROs as tech savvy, while only 7% considered them to be AI savvy, according to another recent survey. More than three-quarters (77%) of CEOs believed that their organization’s leaders are falling short of having the required knowledge and capabilities to support, drive, or accelerate business outcomes in an AI era. When compared to other C-suite executives, the CHRO had the lowest rate of CEO confidence.   

“If CHROs aren’t able to become as technologically savvy as the rest of their C-Suite peers — and to make sure their CEO recognize that — then HR leaders risk ceding their influence to another leader who is,” said Kenny Pyle, SHRM’s lead HR technology analyst.  

For CHROs, this is a strategic inflection point. If HR is to remain a key driver of organizational value, leaders must ensure the function is not only tech-aware but tech-fluent. 

Here’s three ways CHROs can lead the transformation from operational HR to strategic, technology-enabled leadership. 

1. Champion HR’s Role in Enterprise Digital Transformation 

SHRM’s Emerging Technology Skills in HR analysis also confirms what many senior leaders know: HR has already embraced data analytics at scale. Skills such as data analytics (9.1%), data management (9%), and business intelligence dashboards (5.5%) are now frequently cited in HR job postings. But the shift is far from complete. 

CHROs must proactively align HR’s technological evolution with the company’s broader digital goals. This means working alongside CIOs and COOs to map workforce capabilities to emerging tech needs, identifying future skill gaps, and building adaptive talent strategies. It also means treating data and AI not just as tools, but as extensions of HR’s strategic toolkit. 

To lead from the front, CHROs should establish cross-functional transformation teams that include HR leadership and ensure that HR priorities are represented in enterprise-wide tech initiatives. Doing so can help HR move beyond administrative support and into the realm of organizational design, decision intelligence, and digital innovation. 

2. Identify and Cultivate the Next Generation of Tech-Savvy HR Leaders

Now is the time to define a new leadership profile for HR and invest in growing high-potential talent with advanced tech and analytical skills. 

SHRM’s tech skills report highlights the changing profile of HR roles. Over the past year, technology skills cited in HR job postings have grown by 23%, while non-technology skills have declined by 1%. This marks a decisive pivot toward tech-centric capabilities, and away from traditional skills such as benchmarking (-28%), teaching (-26%), and call center experience (-25%).

Yet despite this trend, too few HR teams are intentionally developing internal leaders with digital fluency. CHROs can change that by formalizing new competency frameworks that prioritize: 

• Analytical reasoning and decision-making using data

• AI literacy for ethical, scalable implementation 

• Agile leadership for change and digital enablement

• Business acumen grounded in predictive insights 

• A mindset of curiosity toward new ways HR can integrate technology into new and existing workflows

Once identified, high-potential talent should be given structured development opportunities, including rotations with IT teams, participation in analytics working groups, and leadership of HR tech pilot programs. This internal pipeline is essential for continuity and resilience, especially as external hiring becomes more competitive and costly.

3. Create a Strategic Road Map for HR Tech Integration

The Emerging Technology Skills in HR analysis reveals not only a growth in demand for technology, but also a transformation in its composition. Requests in job listings for legacy skills such as data mining are being overtaken by modern analytics, and vague requirements such as “technology solutions” are being replaced with specific tools and platforms. In other words, HR tech strategy is becoming more precise and integral.

CHROs must treat the HR tech stack as a driver of value creation, and it can do so by designing a forward-looking HR technology roadmap tied directly to business goals and talent strategy — not just system upgrades.

A strategic roadmap might incorporate:

1. Core infrastructure: Modern human resource information systems that ensure clean data, integration, and compliance.

2. Advanced intelligence: Tools enabling predictive analytics, skills mapping, AI-supported decision-making, and flexible reporting.

3. Employee enablement: AI-enhanced systems for learning, feedback, and performance that are intuitive and personalized.

The data is clear: HR is no longer just about people — it’s about people powered by technology. From AI to predictive analytics, the future of the function depends on leaders who understand how to translate complex tools into meaningful business outcomes. CHROs are uniquely positioned to lead this charge. But doing so requires moving beyond digital awareness to digital fluency, and beyond process optimization to strategic transformation.