Agentic AI in HR is no longer a futuristic vision; it’s a present-day reality transforming how HR and technology leaders approach workplace solutions. Unlike conventional AI that automates isolated tasks, agentic AI empowers intelligent agents with autonomy, reasoning, memory, and collaboration skills. For HR Tech solution providers, this means designing systems that not just automate HR, but also intelligently act, adapt, and evolve.
In a recent Power Hour hosted by Harbinger Group, industry leaders explored how organizations are progressing along the ‘agentic AI in HR’ journey. They shared insights into HR’s evolving role in shaping AI-driven solutions, AI adoption trends, and agentic AI use cases that are already reshaping talent management, onboarding, and employee experience.
This blog post explores key insights and practical takeaways from the Power Hour, “Incorporating Agentic AI in HR: From Automation to Autonomy,” hosted by Subodh Bhide, VP – Technology at Harbinger Group, and featuring powerful insights from industry leaders: Dirk Jonker (Founder & CEO, Crunchr), Jason Averbook (Senior Partner, Mercer), and Beth White (Founder & CEO, MeBeBot).
The Journey Toward AI Adoption in HR
Agentic AI in HR requires intentional progress through each of the following phases. Skipping one or lingering too long in another can hinder long-term value realization. Will the AI adoption journey be as simple as picking a tool and scaling it instantly? The answer is a clear no. As discussed in the webinar, companies are undergoing a phased transformation when it comes to implementing agentic AI in HR.
Six Distinct Phases of AI Adoption
Early Phase: Here, CXOs are excited about AI’s potential. Investor enthusiasm, market trends, and internal ideas create momentum but also generate pressure to act fast.
Sandbox Phase: Companies test quick prototypes, explore tools, and validate early value through small-scale experiments. However, this phase often creates a false sense of readiness.
Pilot Phase: It includes a structured rollout to trusted user groups. Here, real feedback is gathered, but it’s still not representative of the scale and complexity of production-ready agentic AI systems.
Defining Clear Path: Organizations start formalizing their AI roadmap, defining metrics, governance models, and integration plans for wider implementation.
Ready to Scale: With foundational elements in place, HR teams align AI strategy with business objectives and prepare infrastructure for broad deployment.
Next Phase Rollout: Having seen success in initial areas, organizations now explore adjacent use cases, cross-functional applications, and continuous optimization.
“When you combine AI agents and add a layer of reasoning and more memory and collaboration, then you start approaching artificial general intelligence.”
- Dirk Jonker, Founder & CEO, Crunchr
Where are HR Teams on the AI Journey?
During the webinar, participants were asked to share where they or their customers currently stood in the agentic AI in HR journey. The poll result clearly showed that while there is interest, most organizations are still in the early phase of adoption. The journey to autonomy is just beginning for the majority. Here are the highlights of the poll result:
Agentic AI in HR: Real-World Use Cases
Organizations are moving beyond traditional automation to deploying AI agents in HR that operate independently, make decisions, and continuously improve based on data feedback loops.
Agentic AI in HR is gaining significant traction across the following key functions:
1. Talent Acquisition: AI agents can scan resumes, assess candidate fit, and proactively engage talent pools. Continuous candidate engagement through conversational AI ensures a smoother pipeline. Additionally, AI-enabled recruitment tools automate candidate evaluations, optimize role matching, and enhance decision-making with data-driven insights.
2. Employee Onboarding: HR and new hires can significantly benefit from AI-driven onboarding agents. These agents intelligently provide resources, send welcome packets, and create personalized onboarding experience.
3. Employee Experience & Support: AI agents offer 24/7 employee support by drawing from internal knowledge bases. They send automated notifications, collect feedback, and answer routine queries with trust and consistency.
4. Learning & Development: Targeted skilling, mentorship, and dynamic career pathing can be powered by agentic AI in HR.
Role of HR Leadership in Driving Agentic AI Implementation
As the world of work continues to evolve rapidly, HR must take a proactive role in shaping the future of the workplace. No longer can organizations afford to merely react to change; they must lead it. To do this, HR leaders must be involved in architecting agentic AI systems and strategies that empower individuals and teams, ensuring their organizations remain agile, ethical, and ready for the challenges ahead.
The impact of AI agents in HR isn’t just operational—it’s cultural. As roles evolve, HR must collaborate closely with IT. In fact, some enterprises are blending their HR and IT teams to enable the co-creation of agentic solutions. The goal is to build trusted, context-aware, intelligent systems that people enjoy using.
The adoption of agentic AI in HR isn’t just about deploying a tool—it’s about HR embodying a new way of being, thinking, and operating. Organizations must focus on:
Education vs. Training: Teach HR how to think differently about agentic AI and its usage in HR function. Don’t just prioritize training HR on how to use agents.
Enablement: Empower HR and employees to collaborate with machines rather than just operate them.
Product Design: Involve HR in moving beyond designing Minimum Viable Products to “Minimum Lovable Products” that earn trust, engagement, and acceptance among people using it.
Architecting the Future of HR with Agentic AI
The shift from automation to autonomy is a defining moment for HR and technology leaders. Whether you’re in the early stages or preparing to scale, agentic AI in HR demands more than tool deployment—it requires vision, leadership, and continuous learning.
HR professionals and HR Tech solution providers must work hand-in-hand to build systems that educate, enable, and evolve with people. The promise of agentic AI in HR lies in its ability to reimagine how we work, collaborate, and grow—together. Partner with our HR Tech experts to make the most of agentic AI and co-create scalable, human-centered HR solutions that drive measurable impact and lasting transformation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is agentic AI in HR?
It refers to AI systems that can act autonomously within HR functions—making decisions, learning over time, and collaborating with humans for intelligent outcomes.
2. How is agentic AI in HR different from traditional AI?
Traditional AI automates tasks based on predefined rules. Agentic AI adds memory, reasoning, and autonomy, enabling it to adapt to changing situations and work proactively with minimal human intervention.
3. What are some practical use cases of agentic AI in HR today?
Use cases include intelligent talent sourcing, onboarding automation, AI-driven employee support, adaptive learning paths, and predictive workforce planning.
4. What challenges do companies face in adopting agentic AI in HR?
Common challenges include unclear AI roadmaps, over-reliance on MVPs, integration complexity, lack of education among employees, and the need for strong change leadership.
