Every year, Forrester, a market research firm, releases a report that showcases 10 emerging technologies expected to reshape the business environment. This year, agentic AI was notably featured on that list.
The recent report titled Top 10 Technologies for 2025 from Forrester emphasized AI agents as a significant technological trend set to impact the private sector. Innovative agent architectures allow AI tools to autonomously carry out tasks for both individuals and organizations, representing a significant business opportunity.
However, it wasn’t solely the functionality of agentic AI that earned it a spot on the list; its potential risks were also a consideration. The report highlighted that the same technology enabling agents’ autonomy also contributes to their unpredictable behavior, raising concerns about their alignment with human users’ interests.
“Clear boundaries, governance, and trust frameworks must evolve alongside the tech,” stated Brian Hopkins, Forrester’s vice president of their Emerging Tech portfolio, in a blog post published on the same day as the report.
Despite numerous leading tech companies recently launching agents and businesses beginning to use such systems in their operations, Forrester forecasts it may take several years before this technology is reliable enough for widespread adoption.
AI generators, robots, synthetic data, and more
Likewise, the report indicated that AI tools capable of generating images and videos, which have previously lagged behind text-generating technologies, are expected to have a more significant influence on sectors such as marketing and retail within the next five years.
Another important mention in this year’s Forrester report was humanoid robots, which were absent from the firm’s top 20 emerging technologies last year. While still hindered by high R&D costs and other challenges, the emergence of embodied robots that can move and perform tasks autonomously could soon transform businesses, according to the report.
In terms of trends that will have a more immediate influence, or those anticipated to benefit businesses in the next couple of years, Forrester highlighted Internet of Things security and synthetic data.
Overall, Forrester stressed that AI, in its many forms, will be the technological force with the most significant social impact. The researcher advised business leaders to adopt a proactive stance.
“As AI becomes commonplace, business and technology leaders should focus investments on initiatives that will yield the most significant impact for their organizations regarding business growth, innovation, and competitive edge,” Sharyn Leaver, Forrester’s chief research officer, stated.
“Despite global uncertainty, the rapid growth of AI will persist. Enterprises that effectively balance AI advancement with risk management will be the ones that successfully flourish and achieve lasting growth.”
Chief human resources officers (CHROs) plan to enhance their digital labor in the coming two years by investing in AI agents to boost productivity, according to the latest research from Salesforce.
The research involved a survey of 200 global human resource executives to gather their insights on incorporating AI into the workplace. The results reveal a strong consensus among CHROs regarding the transformative potential of AI agents.
A significant majority (77%) of respondents believe agents will become an essential component of the workforce, fundamentally altering organizational structures. This finding indicates that digital labor is not just a minor development but a core element of future business strategy that requires serious attention.
The study also suggests a rapid adoption rate for AI agents. In the next two years, HR executives expect a 327% increase in their usage. This widespread deployment of agents is projected to bring about a 30% rise in total productivity, strengthening the compelling business rationale for integrating AI into operational workflows.
The anticipated incorporation of AI agents is expected to result in substantial shifts in workforce skills and overall business structure. Regarding organization, CHROs predict a significant requirement to reassign nearly a quarter of their global workforce (24%) to accommodate new roles and responsibilities stemming from the use of digital labor. This trend underscores the proactive steps HR leaders must take to adjust to this evolving environment.
Together, these findings highlight the profound transformative capacity of AI to redefine the future of work. They also underscore the critical role HR leaders will play in strategically guiding these significant changes to facilitate a smooth and effective transition into a new era of digital labor.
Here are the main insights from Salesforce’s research on CHROs and Digital Labor.
Chief human resources officers (CHROs) intend to enhance their use of digital labor over the next two years, planning to invest in AI agents to boost productivity, as revealed by recent Salesforce global research.
The study gathered insights from 200 human resource leaders worldwide regarding the integration of AI into the workplace. The results show a strong agreement among CHROs about the significant impact AI agents could have.
Additionally, 60% of AI agents operate within IT departments – here’s an overview of their daily tasks.
A majority (77%) of respondents believe that agents will become a key component of the workforce, fundamentally altering the structure of organizations. This indicates that digital labor is not just an ancillary development but a central aspect of future business strategies that requires serious attention.
The research also highlights a quick adoption rate for AI agents. Over the next two years, HR executives predict a 327% increase in their use. This widespread adoption of agents is expected to deliver a 30% boost in overall productivity, demonstrating a strong business rationale for implementing AI in operational tasks.
Furthermore, the projected incorporation of AI agents is set to bring about significant changes in workforce skills and the overall organizational design. In terms of structure, CHROs anticipate the need to redeploy nearly 24% of their global workforce to fit new roles and responsibilities resulting from the integration of digital labor. This trend emphasizes the proactive steps HR leaders must take to adapt to this evolving environment.
These insights collectively emphasize the profound potential of AI to transform the future of work. They also stress the vital role that HR leaders will have in strategically managing these substantial changes to facilitate a smooth and effective transition into a new era of digital labor.
Key findings from Salesforce’s research on CHROs and Digital Labor include:
The research indicates that people and AI agents will collaborate to generate value as needed:
- By 2030, 80% of CHROs predict that most organizations will have humans and AI agents working in tandem. Almost 90% of CHROs will concentrate on incorporating AI agents into the workforce. So, what will be the most suitable term for HR, considering most labor will involve a mix of humans and machines? Perhaps, the answer lies in the term Talent Resources.
- By 2027, CHROs expect a 327% rise in the adoption of AI agents, increasing from 15% in 2025 to 64% in 2027. Surprisingly, 36% of respondents have no plans for adopting AI agents. The most successful companies of the future will be autonomous and leverage digital labor. Unfortunately, nearly 40% of future companies may struggle to compete in an AI-driven economy, where digital labor will serve as the primary competitive edge.
- CHROs anticipate an average productivity increase of 30% and a 19% decrease in labor costs through the use of agents. Gains in productivity will be immediate, but the full potential for efficiency and effectiveness arising from AI agent deployment will require further analysis.
Reskilling and redeploying talent
CHROs will face several strategic priorities focusing on new capabilities, organizational frameworks, and new opportunities:
- More than 80% of HR leaders plan to reskill their employees to remain competitive in a market influenced by AI agents. The metrics for measuring success will evolve with increased digital labor adoption. Concepts related to effort and experience will be less relevant in an era defined by limitless possibilities and abundant talent. AI agents will learn, improve, and scale their abilities rapidly to make an impact on stakeholders. Data and AI literacy will become higher priorities in reskilling efforts. Many CHROs also concur that soft skills, such as relationship building and teamwork, will gain even greater importance as humans work alongside agents.
- The implementation of AI agents will alter organizational structures significantly. Over three-quarters (77%) of CHROs believe that AI agents will transform organizational frameworks.
- Integrating AI agents is expected to open up substantial opportunities for human talent. Most CHROs (89%) feel that AI and digital labor will allow them to transition employees into new, more impactful roles. This transition involves assigning routine tasks to AI agents, enabling human workers to focus on more complex and critical responsibilities. While HR executives foresee that a large portion of their workforce (61%) will continue in their current roles while collaborating with digital labor, they estimate a notable redeployment of around 23% of the workforce into different roles or teams by 2027.
They view the strategy of reallocating current talent as highly beneficial, with 88% of CHROs considering it more financially efficient than hiring externally for new positions. Additionally, a significant number of CHROs (81%) are currently reskilling their workforce (20%) or planning to do so (61%) to equip them for roles with greater opportunities. Salesforce has also adopted this method. This shift reflects a cognitive enhancement rather than just a straightforward transfer of knowledge from humans to AI. By utilizing AI as reliable assistants, human workers can execute their tasks with improved efficiency, intelligence, and scalability.
Employing a team-oriented approach to agents is essential.
The research indicates that autonomous businesses will require teams with a mix of skills.
- According to the CHRO survey, 85% of organizations have not yet embraced agentic AI. CHROs need to enhance their urgency and collaborate with IT and research and development (R&D) to hasten the integration of digital labor. With increased acceptance of AI agents, CHROs expect that IT, R&D, and sales teams will expand as businesses incorporate AI agents. In the short term, technical roles demanding higher data and AI literacy will see an influx of employee reassignments. CHROs recognize that AI literacy is the top skill employees will need as companies transition into the agentic economy.
- The most critical skills are soft skills, which are also the most challenging to define and teach. Establishing enduring relationships, gaining trust, demonstrating empathy, and cultivating a secure environment that enhances belonging will necessitate significant reskilling of employees. The survey indicates that 75% of CHROs believe AI agents will heighten the need for soft skills within their organizations.
- CHROs intend to shift employees to roles focused on relationship-building, where collaboration and adaptability are highly valued, anticipating that the sizes of teams in customer service, operations, and finance will reduce due to the efficiencies brought about by agents.
Looking ahead
The integration of digital labor, especially AI agents, into organizational operations is still in the early stages, with broad acceptance being less than two years in the making. This newness has sparked considerable excitement and urgency among HR leaders. Yet, in spite of this enthusiasm, many CHROs remain in the early planning phases as they prepare their workforces for this transition. Only 15% report that their organizations have fully adopted agentic AI.
Moreover, three out of four employees remain unaware of how AI agents could affect their daily roles and responsibilities. This finding underscores the pressing need for managers to articulate the transformation narrative. Our main emphasis should be on the cognitive enhancement of our human workers, enabling them to collaborate with AI, rather than considering AI as a mere knowledge transfer or as a replacement for our current talent.
We find ourselves at a pivotal point as the final generation of business leaders to oversee a completely human workforce. The future of work is certainly hybrid and increasingly autonomous, where human skills and AI functionalities come together. Human employees and AI agents will work as trusted collaborators, creating an integrated human and digital workforce that will transform nearly every aspect of business.
Nevertheless, amidst this technological transformation, one essential facet of the human experience will persist: the inherent need to belong and feel appreciated, to seek career advancement, and to receive trust, respect, and care in the workplace.
This period offers an extraordinary chance for CHROs and HR (or Talent Resources) leaders to actively influence the future of work in a way that nurtures a positive and engaging environment for employees. This initiative goes beyond simply securing a position for HR at the executive level. Instead, when approached wisely and strategically, HR will lead this critical conversation, with other business leaders acknowledging the necessity of securing a spot at this HR-led discussion table.
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