A new report from The Josh Bersin Company predicts that 2026 will mark the most dramatic human resources transformation in decades, as artificial intelligence advances from simple assistants to AI-powered “superagents” capable of orchestrating and automating complex HR workflows. The research argues this evolution will fundamentally reshape how HR functions-from recruiting and performance management to learning, development, and employee services.
Unlike the early generation of AI tools that required human prompting and guidance, these emerging superagents are semi‑autonomous systems capable of managing entire processes end to end-freedom for HR professionals from routine tasks and a position to focus on strategic work. The report identifies more than 100 potential HR agent applications grouped into core “superagent families” that span virtually every major HR domain.
“The most dramatic transformation of HR in my career”
In the report The Superworker Organization: AI Goes Enterprise — HR and Leadership Imperatives for 2026, Josh Bersin, CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, argues that this shift will require organizations to rethink HR’s mission, invest in AI skills and build cohesive AI architectures that can scale across functions. AI superagents, he says, will not just automate but reimagine how talent is hired, trained, managed and supported — with HR teams increasingly acting as builders and integrators of AI systems rather than traditional administrators.
The research even warns that core HR headcount could fall by up to 30% as automated systems eliminate repetitive administrative roles. However, this should be viewed as role transformation rather than outright job loss; many existing jobs will evolve, and entirely new roles tied to AI governance, development, orchestration and employee experience design will emerge.
How Superagents Will Affect the HR Industry
The arrival of AI superagents will have profound implications for HR leaders, professionals and the industry overall:
1. Shift in Skill Sets in HR Departments
The skills required in HR teams will focus on being “AI fluent,” data governance, and systems thinking. The skills in HR, especially in administrative processing, will change from what can be done to what can be achieved in terms of AI strategy, integration, and governance. This fits with what is seen in the overall market with respect to collaboration between the HR and IT functions being central to future success.
2. Redesigning Workflows Instead of Repeating Them
The superagents would carry out automated processes including screening, hiring, modifications to payroll, as well as performance management, all of which were done manually. This would give HR professionals ample time to concentrate on engagement, building corporate culture, as well as strategic workforce planning, all aspects that require human expertise even when working in an AI-driven setting.
3. New Leadership Expectations
CHROs and HR leaders will be expected to not only leverage AI technology but drive the change, and create a unified AI infrastructure to support the ethical use of AI in a scalable way. What the report highlights, of course, is the need for the HR function to shift its role from a support
Overall Effects on Businesses
Beyond HR departments, the integration of superagents will ripple outward across organizations:
Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity: While AI takes care of repeated tasks and processes, those looking to recruit can speed up recruitment times and cut costs and increase efficiency related to hiring. The freed human resource can then be applied to those initiatives that lead to innovation and growth.
Talent Strategy & Competitive Advantage: Organizations that can effectively leverage super agents in talent acquisition, retention, and development efforts will likely gain a competitive advantage with faster reaction times and better understanding of people data.
Workplace Transformation and Culture: With the more mundane tasks being taken over by automation, the growing role of human workers will be coaching, mentoring, psychological safety, innovation, and complex decision-making, and this is set to radically transform the culture in the organizations.
Conclusion: A New Era of HR and Business Operations
The Josh Bersin Company’s research underscores the emergence of superagents in the AI space marks the beginning of a paradigm shift in the human resource space. As the routine work of HR is systematized with the use of AI and HR switches focus to its strategic aspects, it is necessary for businesses to prepare in terms of investing in appropriate talent as well as appropriate infrastructure to unlock the full potential of AI. Not only will this revolutionize HR, but it will also have a bearing on the functioning of the enterprise as a whole.
