Here’s a sobering reality check for artificial intelligence advocates: Only 17% of HR professionals described their organizations’ AI implementation as “highly successful,” according to SHRM’s From Adoption to Empowerment: Shaping the AI-Driven Workforce of Tomorrow report. Fewer than half (43%) said they followed change management best practices when rolling out new tools — yet those who said they did so were 2.6 times more likely to report successful outcomes.
Meanwhile, 57% of respondents to SHRM’s 2025 Core HR Systems Survey reported that their core system — whether human resource information system (HRIS), human resource management system (HRMS), or human capital management (HCM) — has no AI functionality. Another 29% said their key platform has AI, but they do not use it. Only 14% of 1,138 SHRM Members surveyed used AI in their core system.
Other common reasons why intention hasn’t yet matched up to reality include compliance concerns and AI approval policies; vendors charging a premium for AI access; and HR professionals not seeing a clear value, according to Kenny Pyle, SHRM’s lead analyst for HR technology.
“It’s one thing for HR to ask a generative AI assistant to optimize job postings,” Pyle said. “But when it comes to providing access to core HR data — employees’ personally identifiable information, performance reviews, and compensation data — that’s incredibly sensitive information. The return has to be immense to even consider opening those doors. As of now, that’s not something the vast majority of HR professionals are doing.”
These findings reveal a stark contrast against the mass enablement and adoption many organizations publicly tout. The truth is that, for the most part, AI hasn’t yet delivered the sweeping transformation its early evangelists promised. Productivity gains have been uneven, suggesting that algorithms alone can’t fix systemic business issues.
"Responsible AI adoption is not just a technical challenge — it’s a leadership imperative. It requires thoughtful governance, clear and transparent communication, and a culture rooted in trust and inclusion."
Marya Calhoun
Senior VP of HR at Atlanta Housing Authority
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Only 17% of HR professionals described their organizations’ AI implementation as “highly successful.”
From Adoption to Empowerment: Shaping the AI-Driven Workforce of Tomorrow, SHRM.
AI Adoption Accelerates in HR
- 43% of organizations now leverage artificial intelligence in HR tasks (up from 26% in 2024). Recruiting is the leading use case: 66% use AI to generate job descriptions and 44% use it to screen resumes. Significantly, 89% of HR pros using AI in recruiting said it saves time or increases efficiency (2025 Talent Trends).
- 67% of HR professionals said their organizations were not proactive in upskilling employees to work with AI; 51% of HR professionals said enhanced training is the top need for their organization. (2025 Talent Trends).
- 80% of workers said that a human should review AI outputs before implementation; 74% said they see AI as a complement to human capabilities (From Adoption to Empowerment).
- Only 11% of organizations have embedded AI in daily workflows (i.e., reported that more than 60% of their employees use AI daily). AI champions raise tool usage by 65%; strategic communications improve trust metrics by 16% (Deloitte).
- 40% of CEOs identified adopting artificial intelligence as one of their top three priorities for the next 12 months. (2026 CEO Priorities and Perspectives, SHRM)
- More than half of CEOs (54%) identified adapting to technological advancements — such as the integration of AI — as the top challenge their organization faces today. (2026 CEO Priorities and Perspectives, SHRM)
From Recalibration to Refinement: The 2026 Outlook
The disconnect between AI aspirations and actualization has leaders under pressure to prove a strong return on what they’ve already invested. CHROs’ top priorities for 2026 cluster around capturing measurable value from AI while sustaining workforce performance in an uncertain business environment, according to recent analysis from Gartner.
If 2025 has been a year of recalibration, 2026 will be one of refinement. Leaders are looking toward pragmatic, targeted deployments that will deliver measurable results. They will likely treat AI initiatives like any other performance program, linking them directly to productivity, retention, and growth metrics. It’s a shift from experimentation to outcome-based processes, where success means showing not just what the tech does, but what it delivers.
“Without intentional change management and workforce readiness, AI initiatives risk creating friction, fear, and inequity,” said Marya Calhoun, senior vice president of HR at Atlanta Housing Authority. “HR is uniquely positioned to bridge this gap by translating AI strategy into human impact, building digital fluency across the workforce, and embedding ethical considerations into every stage of adoption.”
More than half of HR professionals view a failure in AI implementation as posing a moderate to severe risk to their organizations, according to SHRM’s Adoption to Empowerment report.
“The organizations making the most meaningful strides with AI are those evolving their mindset from viewing AI as a tool for operational efficiency to embracing it as a strategic enabler of human potential,” Calhoun said. “Responsible AI adoption is not just a technical challenge — it’s a leadership imperative. It requires thoughtful governance, clear and transparent communication, and a culture rooted in trust and inclusion.”
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AI Changes HR’s Relationship with IT
AI is reshaping organizational design, as well. While some organizations looked toward merging HR and IT functions, others realized this approach wasn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy for digital transformation.
Expect stronger connective tissue in the form of joint HR-IT governance frameworks, shared data standards, and co-authored artificial intelligence road maps in 2026. The partnership between HR and IT is evolving from co-location to co-leadership.
What HR Can Do Now for AI Success in 2026
Only 1 in 4 HR professionals played a leading role in AI implementation, yet two-thirds believe HR should lead on change management and training, according to SHRM’s Adoption to Empowerment report. As 2025 demonstrated, effective AI requires more than just buying a new tool — it requires more intentional leadership and preparation. HR is well positioned to lead the way forward by ensuring AI is adopted with measurable outcomes, smarter cross-functional collaboration, and cultural transformation with humans firmly at the center.
“Looking ahead to 2026, I envision HR leaders stepping into the role of AI translators that help organizations harness AI for more informed, equitable decision-making while championing fairness, accountability, and empathy,” Calhoun said.
Here’s what HR can prioritize to ensure the success of AI in 2026:
Measurable Outcomes: Establish the ROI of AI Initiatives
Nearly one-fourth of organizations (23%) have not established mechanisms to measure the return on investment (ROI) of their AI initiatives at all, according to the Adoption to Enablement report. HR can help address the uncertainty of AI and secure buy-in by helping track metrics (such as employee adoption rates and productivity improvements) and providing leadership with that data.
Beyond those metrics, HR can measure AI ROI across factors such as quality, trust, and equity — not just output speed. Those numbers are important, but so are the people behind them. How employees feel about the rollout of any initiative — AI or otherwise — matters greatly and should inform next steps.
Teamwork with Intention: Cross-Functional AI Collaboration
If leadership wants to attain clearer, more positive business outcomes with AI, they’ll need to be empowered with more intentional cross-functional collaboration — which HR can facilitate.
The right approach is likely different for every organization: One company houses HR and IT under one department, while another might name a chief AI officer who builds out a new cross-functional team. Others may establish additional project and communication checkpoints to streamline operations and establish accountability across functions. HR’s role is to ensure these new collaborations are intentional and effective.
Cultural Foundations: Communication, Transparency, and Upskilling
HR leaders are well versed in communications characterized by empathy and transparency. AI rollouts benefit from clear-eyed messaging that acknowledges both the benefits and limitations of AI, in addition to how the initiative is aligned with business objectives. HR can promote a culture of transparency that will make it easier for employees to jump on board.
But once on board, people need to know what skills are needed to steer the ship. Upskilling will continue to strengthen employees’ capabilities and confidence while positioning the organization with a strategic advantage.
More than half of U.S. workers (51%) told SHRM that enhanced training and upskilling should be their organizations’ top priority for improving AI implementation. As algorithms reshape workflows, leadership’s mandate will expand from risk mitigation to capability building, guiding employees through the tension between automation and empowerment.
“Employees want their leadership to invest in their AI training to boost their productivity, but also to signal that AI will be used to supplement their role — not replace it,” Pyle said. “Leaders who realize this will receive two productivity boosts.”
By tying AI to learning and development, HR equips employees with the skills to take an organization’s AI efforts from choppy waters to smooth sailing.
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