Andy Bradshaw, CEO, SHL

AI assistants in hiring

The workplace of 2025 will be shaped by a new breed of AI assistants that are genuinely transforming how companies approach hiring. Picture an AI agent that digs through your company's data and tells you ‘Hey, based on your upcoming product launches and typical attrition patterns, you'll need three senior developers by August - and here's why.’

These AI tools will spot patterns humans might miss, like noticing that your customer support team is stretched thin during certain seasons, or that your data science projects keep stalling due to missing specialized skills. They'll also get smarter about finding the right talent, learning from past hiring successes and failures to pinpoint where to find great candidates and what makes them stick around.

Beyond just screening resumes, they'll help companies make smarter decisions about when to hire, who to look for, and how much to pay - all while keeping an eye on budgets and business goals. While this tech is exciting, companies will need to navigate new regulations to ensure their AI hiring tools are fair and transparent.

Janghoon Lee, CTO, Redrob

AI will support us

We're all a bit bored of the AI topic. We have been in the wild west for the last couple of years especially with the AI language models. The focus for the next year in the assessment space will be on where AI will support us, especially in relation to the scoring mechanism.

Marais Bester, consultant, SHL

Employee productivity solutions

Employee productivity solutions will take center stage in 2025 as companies shift from gut-feel decision-making to leveraging data-driven insights about their workforce. Understanding work patterns through tools like Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) will not only optimize team collaboration and identify silos but also accelerate progress.

As hybrid work solidifies its place as the new normal, data will no longer flow solely top-down. Instead, it will empower employees with actionable insights for self-coaching, growth, and development, creating a more engaged, resilient workforce and giving early adopters a clear competitive edge.

Sam Naficy, CEO, Prodoscore

Increase in tech pros

With the rise in cyber threats and data breaches, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been more critical. In 2025, the demand for cybersecurity experts will continue to soar as businesses strive to protect their digital assets and maintain consumer trust. Cybersecurity experts who can predict threats, enforce security measures, and ensure regulatory compliance will be invaluable. Specialized roles such as ethical hackers, security analysts, and incident responders will become increasingly prominent.

The year 2025 promises to be an exciting time for technology professionals, with numerous opportunities for growth and advancement. Staying updated on new technologies, improving specialized skills, and being flexible helps technology professionals succeed in this rapidly changing field. The future of careers in technology is bright, and those who are proactive in adapting to these trends will undoubtedly thrive.

Leslie Deutsch, VP of people strategy, TEKsystems

AI in the hiring process

In 2025, interviews will become even closer to obsolete thanks to AI advancements. In the hiring process, new and developing forms of AI assessments can measure soft skills better than humans. Not to mention, AI that is well trained is less bias than a human. With the right tools, AI can assess candidates based on soft skills to make a higher quality hire than a human would, even providing opportunities for those otherwise overlooked, like those with less experience.

Soon, we will see humans spending less time scheduling and conducting interviews (with often unqualified candidates), and more time improving employee satisfaction and engagement to boost retention. Currently, employee happiness is at a dangerously low point. If HR leaders had more time to work on impactful work – like finding new ways to engage and train current team members – and less time on wasteful interviews, we may see a huge shift in workplace morale in 2025.

Stephane Rivard, CEO and co-founder, HiringBranch

AI reshaping HR teams

By 2025, the HR landscape is set to experience a dramatic revolution as AI reshapes how companies build and manage their teams. We'll likely see traditional hiring barriers dissolve as employers embrace new ways to find talent, including AI-powered processes that focus on individual skills and abilities. Learning at work will begin to feel more like having a personal career coach, with AI producing tailored training that fits right into daily tasks.

Finding and keeping great employees will also become smoother, thanks to smart systems that can really understand what motivates a potential worker. At the same time, inside companies, AI will act as a matchmaker between employees and exciting project opportunities based on their unique skillsets and goals. Perhaps the biggest change is that employees will stop filling out tedious HR forms or calling HR for support and, instead, chat in a natural way with AI assistants about everything from their benefits to their career objectives.

By leveraging AI agents built directly into your HCM software to automate routine tasks, surface information, and assist with issue resolution, leaders in the business can offload significant work, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives and driving business growth.

Ryan Bergstrom, chief product officer, Paycor

Clarity & accuracy in AI

In 2024, we’ve seen a lot of AI hype, with the term 'AI' applied to tools and technologies that are, in fact, simply rule-based automation or traditional data analytics. Labeling these as AI not only misleads stakeholders but also risks setting unrealistic expectations for what AI can achieve in hiring.

True AI systems, especially those based on machine learning, involve adaptive learning from data and require transparency to build trust and ensure ethical use. In 2025, I’d love to see a shift toward clarity and accuracy in the language we use around AI.

Dr. Lindsey Zuloaga, chief data scientist, HireVue

Ethical use of AI

As concerns around data privacy and the ethical use of AI grow, a trend is emerging: businesses and consumers are demanding greater transparency and accountability from organizations leveraging advanced technologies. From regulatory actions against data misuse to heightened scrutiny of how AI systems access and process sensitive information, the stakes have never been higher.

In a world where concerns about data privacy and AI ethics are rising, it is critical to combine the precision of cutting-edge technology with the assurance of human oversight. Every decision we make must prioritize transparency and trust.

Alyssa Scott, Ph.D., chief analytics officer, Health Advocate

Is AI taking over?

2025 will be the year that AI starts to make a significant impact on people's jobs. Any job that can easily be automated or replaced with an AI agent is at risk. This includes roles like customer service, sales development reps, paralegals, production designers, junior engineers, copywriters, and more.

The best way people can protect their jobs or qualify for new ones is to learn how to use AI. There will be many jobs available for people who are good at leveraging AI to do these jobs faster/better, and for people who are in roles that require a true human touch. People who can both use AI and combine that with EQ and soft skills will be in high demand. The good news is that access to AI learning is widespread and affordable.

Jennifer Dulski, CEO & founder, Rising Team

A personal AI assistant for every professional

In 2025, personal AI assistants will redefine corporate environments and enhance areas such as decision-making, recruitment, performance evaluations, and employee engagement. Companies—and HR, in particular—must strategically manage these tools to maximize benefits and ensure security, setting the stage for enhanced productivity and innovation.

Mary Alice Vuicic, chief people officer, Thomson Reuters

AI tools for leave management

HR teams experimenting with AI tools for leave management need to tread cautiously. 2025 will likely be the year we see the first big AI-driven leave compliance lawsuit. Employers relying too heavily on general-purpose AI tools for leave management without proper oversight are playing a dangerous game. A single error could trigger significant legal, financial and reputational risks – a reminder that you need purpose-built technology for sensitive areas like leave.

Samarth Keshava, CTO and co-founder, Sparrow

The accelerating influence of AI

Expect to see a massive acceleration of the transformational forces on human resources and its mastery of employee benefits in 2025. Nothing will be more influential than artificial intelligence (AI) in assisting employers to see the projected implications of their decisions. AI predictive analytics can identify future trouble spots for physical and financial health, and identifies skills gaps and future hiring needs. AI-powered synthesis of employee performance-monitoring data enables improved evaluations and manager feedback.

It also simplifies taking the pulse of your people. AI chatbots can remove work through instant responses to basic questions on HR policies and benefits. Organizations’ success will lag without AI solutions in 2025.

Jeff Faber, chief strategy officer, HUB International

2025 will be the year of AI reckoning

The initial excitement must translate into application. I think we will have clearer insight into the potential disruption of AI. If certain jobs are in jeopardy, then that should start revealing itself as the year progresses. The issue will remain though: will there be any innovation into the areas that are most vulnerable to the labor shortages we are facing and will increasingly experience?

There are also legal and ethical considerations forcing companies to rethink their excitement about using AI without more careful consideration, especially in terms of hiring. I believe that by the end of 2025, we will have enough evidence to see if AI will truly address our labor needs, or, if it will just disrupt spaces not experiencing labor problems.

Ron Hetrick, senior economist, Lightcast

Transforming L&D with AI

In 2025, AI is set to transform corporate L&D, with tech companies and manufacturers increasingly recognizing virtual training as a key profit driver that differentiates their services. Despite some RTO mandates, the trend toward virtual training will persist due to its strong ROI and employee engagement/satisfaction.

With Learning and Talent Management, AI will deliver hyper-personalized learning experiences, offering employees customized training based on their skill gaps, preferences, and career goals. AI teaching assistants, already widely used by major VILT providers, will gain new features to further enhance value for professional trainers. For training companies, especially those driven by profits, AI will become a critical tool in staying competitive.

Jim Seaman, chief revenue officer, CoSo Cloud & Rob Porter, head of market & business, CoSo Cloud

How will AI impact learning and development (L&D) for employees at all levels?

AI-powered L&D platforms could hyperpersonalize development pathways and plans for each employee, tailoring content to individual strengths, areas for growth, and career aspirations. You could see more 'in the flow of work' training popping up, when needed, to assist learners when they are stuck. As a result, companies may witness improved engagement and accelerated skill-building across their workforce, turning L&D into a strategic advantage.

Martha Delehanty, chief people officer, Commvault