Salesforce Study: 81% of HR Leaders Plan Reskilling as Agentic AI Adoption to Surge by 327% by 2027
As businesses globally gear up for a new era of digital labor, a new report from Salesforce reveals that agentic AI is set to transform workforce structures at an unprecedented pace. The research, which surveyed 200 human resources executives worldwide, shows that agentic AI adoption is expected to grow by 327% by 2027, prompting HR leaders to redeploy nearly a quarter of their workforce and prioritize upskilling efforts.
“We’re in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of work,” said Nathalie Scardino, President and Chief People Officer at Salesforce. “Digital labor is unlocking new levels of productivity and autonomy, and every industry must act now to redesign jobs and reskill employees.”
Key Findings at a Glance:
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Agentic AI adoption will grow from 15% to 64% in two years.
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HR leaders project a 30% productivity boost and 19% labor cost reduction, equating to over $11,000 in savings per employee (based on OECD averages).
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23% of the workforce is expected to be redeployed, while 61% will stay in their current roles working alongside AI.
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81% of CHROs are prioritizing employee reskilling to prepare for digital labor.
The Rise of the Human-AI Workforce
With 80% of HR executives predicting that most workforces will soon be a mix of humans and AI agents, companies are rethinking traditional organizational models. CHROs say AI literacy is the number one skill needed for the future, while soft skills such as collaboration, adaptability, and relationship-building will be even more critical in an AI-augmented environment.
“Start planning now — because the generation currently leading will be the last to manage a human-only workforce,” said Greg Shewmaker, CEO of r.Potential.
Cost-Effective Redeployment Over Rehiring
Rather than hiring new talent, 88% of HR leaders see internal redeployment as a more cost-efficient strategy. Redeployment efforts are especially focused on technical roles such as data science and architecture, as well as relationship-centric roles like partnerships and account management.
As CHROs prepare for the shift, departments such as customer service, operations, and finance are expected to shrink in size, while IT, R&D, and sales teams will grow to support AI integration.
Workforce Readiness Lags Behind
Despite the urgency, only 15% of companies have fully implemented agentic AI, and 73% of employees still lack awareness about how AI will affect their roles. With digital labor becoming a strategic priority, HR leaders are in a race to prepare their teams for an agentic economy that values human-AI collaboration.
