Business leaders across the world are grappling with a reality that would have seemed like science fiction just a few decades ago: Artificial intelligence systems dubbed AI agents are becoming colleagues, not just tools. At many organizations, HR pros are already developing balanced and thoughtful machine-people workforces that meet business goals.
At Skillsoft, a global corporate learning company, Chief People Officer Ciara Harrington has spent the better part of three years leading digital transformation in real time. Through her front-row seat to CEO transitions, strategic pivots and the rapid acceleration of AI adoption, she’s developed a strong belief that organizations must be agile with people operations.
‘No role that’s not a tech role’
Under these modern conditions, she says, technology is becoming a common language in the workplace. “There is no role that’s not a tech role,” Harrington said during a recent discussion about the future of work. It’s a statement that gets at the heart of a shift many HR leaders are still coming to terms with.
The implications extend far beyond adding new software to existing workflows. Some organizations are discovering that the traditional boundaries between technical and non-technical roles are dissolving entirely.
This evolution poses a critical question that Harrington asks of her own organization: “How are we measuring how agents and humans work together?” At Skillsoft, the answer has emerged from breaking down long-standing silos between the HR and IT departments. The collaboration isn’t optional, Harrington said. These key departments must work in tandem because AI integration touches every aspect of people operations, from recruitment pipelines to career development programs.
Who will manage the AI agents?
This rise of AI in the workplace is clearing the way for HR professionals who understand both human dynamics and technological capabilities well enough to design systems that enhance rather than replace human judgment. But a key question remains: Who will manage the AI agents, specifically, HR leaders or someone else?
Rebecca Wettemann, CEO of industry analyst firm Valoir, says the answer “is still anyone’s game” and will likely differ by organization and department. She says the real issue is “how big a seat will HR have at the table.”
Despite the technological transformation, Harrington’s experience suggests that human leadership remains essential—not for resisting change, but for navigating it thoughtfully.
The emphasis on measurement extends to new metrics that traditional HR departments haven’t had to consider. How do you evaluate the performance of a human-AI team? What does professional development look like when both humans and machines are learning?
While it may be true that “there is no role that’s not a tech role,” Harrington says there “will always be a need for leaders who can navigate the human side of transformation.
“To secure that influence, Wettemann argues, HR leaders should lean into their roles as “culture keepers and data stewards” by leading efforts to set AI-use policies and develop training grounded in AI literacy.
AI agents in the background
Emphasis on human leadership connects to a rising organizational reality: The traditional corporate hierarchy is showing signs of strain as AI systems take on more sophisticated roles. Harrington described an emerging structure where “humans become leaders, AI agents become contributors to management.”
This doesn’t mean robot managers. Instead, she notes organizations are experimenting with AI agents that handle background tasks, while people focus on relationship building and strategic thinking. Human managers remain an essential aspect of organizational design, according to worker survey data. Deloitte’s 2025 survey found that employees place a high value on their managers, with 67% saying their manager best understands what motivates them.
Including AI agents in a system inevitably brings up questions about roles and boundaries. Harrington noted that there will always be some friction when AI systems need to involve people—certain tasks will still require human judgment or oversight. The aim, however, is to ensure these agents work alongside humans in a collaborative way, rather than competing with them for control or responsibility.
Read more: Why most HR teams struggle to be data-driven—and how to fix it
Skills, work and AI agents
Nowhere is the impact of AI agents more evident than in the way companies are rethinking the very nature of jobs. Harrington framed the challenge in simple terms: “This is the work; these are the skills; what piece is human vs AI agent?”
The question is prompting some organizations to decompose traditional roles into skills frameworks that clarify decisions about where human capabilities add the most value. The result is a shift away from hiring for specific positions toward building flexible skill sets that can be applied as needs change.
A study by RedThread Research highlights the value of integrating skills data into the talent ecosystem. Organizations with a clear skills strategy see significant benefits: Employees are twice as likely to view their company as innovative and 1.7 times more likely to say their organization meets its business goals.
But the transition comes with risks. “If AI agents do everything with us, we lose skills,” Harrington warned, echoing broader concerns about technological dependence that are emerging across industries.
The challenge has practical implications for everything from defining job descriptions for AI agents—what exactly should an AI agent’s job description look like?, as Harrington put it—to rethinking performance reviews and career development programs.
At Skillsoft, Harrington has taken a deliberate approach to AI integration, describing it as “a year of transformation supported by data” to drive organizational change. She explains that successfully “transforming culture” and “getting everyone on the same page” requires careful measurement and strategic alignment—from overarching business goals down to individual talent decisions.
Harrington points to the reality that organizational effectiveness increasingly depends on how well different systems—human and artificial—work together. “At the end of the day, everything has to drive business outcomes,” she said.
How data can support AI agents
HR has long been “a keeper of data,” as Wettemann notes, but often lacked the tools and resources to do much more than store information, and that data was typically siloed. Today, however, many organizations are rethinking HR’s role, moving beyond backward-looking reports.
“Recognizing that to stay competitive, [HR leaders] need AI and predictive analytics to understand, project and act” in areas like workforce planning, employee experience, talent acquisition, retention and reskilling, according to the analyst.
HR’s AI agent challenge now is to move beyond basic tasks like writing and summarizing by breaking down silos and harmonizing information across the organization.
She suggests HR leaders use data for greater agility and long-term strategic value—because “the real AI benefits only come when they’re informed by data.”
This year at HR Tech, join Rebecca Wettemann, CEO and principal analyst at Valoir, for a panel discussion on leading change in an age of uncertainty. Register now.
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