New data shows 66% of HR teams use generative AI, but scaling is critical to transform service delivery, productivity and competitiveness
The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT), a leading Gen AI strategic consultancy and executive advisory firm, today announced findings from its 2025 Key Issues Study, revealing that human resources leaders are rapidly adopting generative AI (Gen AI) to advance human capital objectives. Sixty-six percent of human resources (HR) organizations are already using AI-powered tools in some capacity. Yet, HR workloads are set to rise by 10% in 2025 while budgets shrink by 1.5% and headcounts decline by 2%, creating a 12% productivity gap. AI-driven automation will be critical to closing this divide.
“Gen AI is not merely an option, it’s a strategic imperative for HR leaders looking to reimagine work and drive breakthrough business results,” said Jessica Haley, principal, Global Human Resources Executive Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group. “Our research shows that by embracing AI, HR can transform service delivery and unlock significant competitive advantages.”
Where HR is deploying AI now – and where it’s headed
The Hackett Group’s research underscores the intention of HR teams to scale Gen AI adoption beyond initial learnings and pilots. Top areas in which organizations are poised for Gen AI expansion in 2025 include:
- Talent acquisition – 52% use AI to write job descriptions, 39% have plans to implement it for resume screening.
- Employee communications – 48% leverage AI to draft employee communications.
- HR service delivery – 45% plan to leverage AI to answer common HR-related questions.
- Learning and development – 29% plan to use AI for skills documentation and training assessments.
The HR mandate for 2025: Drive AI-led productivity gains
The productivity increases and capacity gains from shifting such work to Gen AI will allow HR organizations to bridge the growing productivity gap and open up additional capacity to focus on their top objectives for 2025.
In fact, about three-quarters (77%) of HR organizations have an initiative to leverage technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of HR services. Overall, HR leaders anticipate a 4.2% year-over-year increase in automation.
To accelerate Gen AI efforts, reimagine work and the workforce, and drive transformative value, The Hackett Group® recommends:
- Ruthlessly prioritizing improvement projects based on importance, value, time to benefit and opportunity cost.
- Investing in reskilling/upskilling HR team members, including data and AI literacy, to ensure readiness for organizational and job redesign.
- Simplifying process and technology complexities that can stall progress.
- Leading the reimagining and redesigning of talent management strategies.
AI can’t wait – neither can HR
HR leaders who move decisively on AI adoption will gain a critical competitive edge in workforce management, employee engagement and enterprise productivity.
Download the full 2025 CHRO Agenda report here.
About The Hackett Group®
The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT) is an IP and platform-based, Gen AI strategic consulting and executive advisory firm that enables Digital World Class® performance. Using AI XPLR™ and ZBrain™ – our ideation through implementation platforms – our experienced professionals help organizations realize the power of Gen AI and achieve quantifiable, breakthrough results, allowing us to be key architects of their Gen AI journey.
Our expertise is grounded in unparalleled best practices insights from benchmarking the world’s leading businesses – including 97% of the Dow Jones Industrials, 89% of the Fortune 100, 70% of the DAX 40 and 55% of the FTSE 100. Visit us at www.thehackettgroup.com.
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Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Statements
This release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements including without limitation, words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” or other similar phrases or variations of such words or similar expressions indicating, present or future anticipated or expected occurrences or outcomes are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include without limitation, the ability of The Hackett Group to effectively market its digital transformation, our ability to transition our capabilities to support generative artificial intelligence (AI)-related consulting services and solutions and other consulting services, our ability to effectively integrate acquisitions, including the LeewayHertz acquisition into our operations, our ability to manage joint ventures and successfully cooperate with our joint venture partners, competition from other consulting and technology companies that may have or develop in the future, similar offerings, the commercial viability of The Hackett Group and its services as well as other risk detailed in The Hackett Group’s reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Hackett Group does not undertake any duty to update this release or any forward-looking statements contained herein.
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HR workloads are set to rise by 10% in 2025 while budgets shrink by 1.5% and headcounts decline by 2%, creating a 12% productivity gap. AI-driven automation will be critical to closing this divide.
