WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2026 — According to HRCI’s report, Redesigning Work: How AI Is Changing Jobs and How HR Can Lead, artificial intelligence is expected to change how employees perform their jobs rather than eliminate entire occupations, prompting calls for human resources (HR) departments to take a leading role in redesigning job responsibilities and preparing employees for new skill requirements.

The report challenges the assumption that AI will primarily affect employment through widespread job losses. While 71% of HR professionals expect AI to change their jobs, the same percentage are not at all concerned about the technology replacing them. Additionally, 82% said they had not seen jobs lost to AI in their industries in 2025, and 77% did not expect to see such losses in 2026.

The findings come from the 2026 State of HR survey, which collected responses from 4,583 HR professionals worldwide between Oct. 15 and 31, 2025. Eighty-five percent of respondents worked in the United States. The published survey materials do not specify the sampling method or response rate.

Despite widespread AI use, many employers have not provided employees with formal training. Seventy-one percent of HR professionals use AI regularly, including 29% who use it every day. However, 53% said their companies offer no AI training. Another 52% identified implementing new HR technologies as one of the two areas their HR departments were least prepared to handle.

“Redesigning jobs for an AI reality is a skill every HR team will have to learn in the coming years,” said Dr. Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI, the career partner for the HR profession. “This is not something that should be left to chance. It deserves thoughtful consideration and hard work.”

The report recommends treating AI adoption as a workforce planning and job-design priority rather than simply a technology rollout or cost-reduction exercise. AI generally affects individual tasks rather than entire occupations. Employers can automate routine assignments while allowing employees to spend more time on responsibilities that require experience, creativity, and professional judgment.

Research also points to productivity gains from AI-assisted work. A 2023 National Bureau of Economic Research study involving 5,179 customer-support agents found that access to a generative AI assistant raised productivity by an average of 14%. Among novice and lower-skilled employees, productivity rose by 34%.

“The impact AI will have on our workforce largely depends on how we use it,” Dufrane said. “Rather than replacing people, we can expand their capabilities. And that means redesigning jobs.”

Redesigning Job Responsibilities

Employers should define job responsibilities and expected results before selecting AI technologies. The process begins with identifying why each position or department exists and what it must accomplish. Employers can then divide jobs into individual tasks to determine which ones AI can assist with, which it can automate, and which require human judgment.

Employee participation is another part of the process. Research cited in the report found that workers welcome automation for nearly half of their tasks, often because it could free up time for higher-value assignments. However, Stanford researchers also found that a substantial share of AI applications developed by startups focus on tasks employees would prefer not to automate. Consulting employees before introducing these technologies can help employers identify suitable uses and avoid automating work that requires human involvement.

The report outlines eight steps employers can take to redesign jobs and departments:

1) Explain why job responsibilities are being redesigned, how the changes will be carried out, and how employees will participate.

2) Define the purpose of each job and its expected results before selecting technology.

3) Break jobs into individual tasks to identify which ones AI can assist with, automate, or should not perform.

4) Ask employees which tasks they would like AI to handle and where automation could save time.

5) Train employees to use AI, understand its limitations, protect personal data, and safeguard proprietary information.

6) Test AI applications through pilot programs and collect employee feedback before introducing them across departments.

7) Revise job descriptions to specify how responsibilities are divided between employees and AI.

8) Preserve career development and promotion opportunities as job responsibilities and skill requirements change.

Photo credit: Dr. Amy Dufrane

HR leaders should also participate in company AI strategy, policy development, and technology procurement. Changes to job responsibilities affect recruitment, employee training, performance evaluations, job descriptions, and career development. HR representation in these decisions can ensure that employee responsibilities and skill requirements are considered before companies purchase and introduce AI systems.

As AI takes over routine assignments, employees will need to apply skills such as discernment, creativity, and professional judgment, the report notes.

“Some capabilities can be seen as an investment, and this is definitely one of them,” Dufrane said. “This is something we can prioritize now that will ultimately benefit every team and every department. It’s a skill we’ll use repeatedly in coming years as technology continues to evolve.”