CHROs Plan Major Expansion of Digital Labor and AI in the Workforce

CHROs Plan Major Expansion of Digital Labor and AI in the Workforce: Salesforce Report

Salesforce’s global survey of 200 HR executives reveals that Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) are preparing for a significant shift toward AI-driven digital labor over the next two years, aiming to enhance productivity and reshape workforce dynamics.

Key Findings:

AI as a Core Workforce Component: 77% of CHROs believe AI agents will become integral to organizational structures, driving strategic business transformation rather than incremental change.
Rapid Adoption Expected: Deployment of AI agents is projected to surge by 327% in two years, potentially boosting productivity by 30% and reducing labor costs by 19%.
Workforce Redeployment: This shift will require 24% of the global workforce to be reassigned to new roles, with 61% of employees collaborating with AI and 23% redeployed by 2027.

Human-AI Collaboration by 2030

80% of CHROs predict widespread collaboration between humans and AI agents in most companies.
89% plan to integrate AI agents into their workforce, with adoption expected to rise from 15% to 64% by 2027—though 36% still have no adoption plans.
Companies failing to adapt to an AI-first economy face a 40% risk of falling behind.

Reskilling and Evolving Workforce Needs

Over 80% of HR leaders prioritize reskilling employees for AI-driven roles, focusing on data/AI literacy and soft skills like collaboration.
88% see internal redeployment as more cost-effective than external hiring.
75% believe AI will increase demand for soft skills, while technical roles will require stronger AI and data proficiency.

Future Workforce Structure

AI agents will act as trusted assistants, enhancing human performance through speed and scalability.
Sales, IT, and R&D teams are expected to grow due to AI adoption, while customer service, operations, and finance teams may shrink as AI handles routine tasks.
89% of CHROs anticipate AI will create more impactful human roles by automating repetitive work.

Challenges and Next Steps

Only 15% of companies have fully implemented AI agents, leaving 85% in early stages.
HR leaders must partner with IT and R&D to accelerate adoption.
Employee awareness remains low, requiring managers to guide teams through the transition.

Salesforce emphasizes a “cognitive upgrade” approach—reskilling employees to work alongside AI rather than merely transferring tasks to automation. As AI reshapes work, CHROs are positioned to lead this transformation, balancing efficiency with human-centric growth.