# Understanding Agentic AI: The Future of HR Technology
Welcome back to the Inside HR Tech column after a brief hiatus. The HR technology landscape has evolved rapidly, with a new buzzword dominating industry conversations: **agentic AI**. This latest innovation is something HR leaders need to understand to maximize their existing HR tech solutions and make informed decisions about future investments.
## What is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI represents artificial intelligence systems designed to work with significant autonomy, decision-making capability, and adaptability within organizations. Unlike traditional AI that simply analyzes data and offers recommendations, AI agents can:
– Understand context
– Make decisions independently
– Take actions on their own
– Learn continuously from interactions
In enterprise settings, AI agents are built to automate, optimize, and enhance business functions with minimal human oversight while maintaining compliance with policies and strategic goals.
### The Difference Between Simple AI and Agentic AI
**Simple AI in Recruiting**: Early AI applications include chatbots that answer candidate questions, suggest open positions, manage basic screening, and schedule interviews.
**Agentic AI in Recruiting**: These advanced agents guide complex recruiting processes end-to-end. They can independently create job descriptions, source candidates, screen resumes, rank applicants, schedule interviews, and conduct initial assessments—all while dynamically adjusting search criteria based on changing hiring needs.
## Major HR Tech Providers Embracing Agentic AI
Several leading HR technology companies have already launched or announced AI agent capabilities:
**Oracle** has integrated agentic AI features into Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM, automating routine HR tasks and enabling self-service tools for career development, learning, compensation, and timekeeping.
**SAP SuccessFactors** introduced over 130 generative AI features across its cloud applications to automate complex processes and improve decision-making. They’ve also launched SAP Business Data Cloud to support AI applications like Joule, their generative AI copilot.
**Workday** has implemented AI-powered agents for recruiting, expenses, succession planning, and business process optimization. They’ve also announced an AI Agent System of Record to help organizations manage AI agents similar to human coworkers.
**ServiceNow** unveiled agentic AI innovations with their AI Agent Orchestrator ensuring specialized agents work together across systems and departments. They offer pre-built agents for IT, customer service, and HR, along with an AI Agent Studio for creating custom agents.
**ADP** released ADP Assist, combining their extensive HR dataset with generative AI. This solution validates payroll information, checks for anomalies, resolves tax registration issues, and simplifies report creation by understanding context.
**UKG** introduced Bryte AI Agents designed to work alongside employees, proactively solving problems through multi-step processes that improve over time. These agents can handle employee promotions and identify impacts of new tax regulations.
## How HR Leaders Should Approach Agentic AI
When considering agentic AI implementation, HR leaders should have strategic conversations with key stakeholders:
### Internal Stakeholders
Before talking to vendors, align with internal teams (HR, IT, finance, legal, compliance) by asking:
– What HR challenges are we trying to solve with agentic AI?
– How mature is our organization’s AI strategy?
– Do we have the necessary data infrastructure and governance?
– How will we prepare employees for AI-driven workflows?
– What training or change management will be required?
### Current HR Technology Providers
For organizations already using major HR platforms, assess their agentic AI capabilities by asking:
– What agentic AI features do you currently offer and plan to release?
– Can your AI agents be customized for our specific workflows?
– How do you handle sensitive employee data and security?
– Is agentic AI included in our current subscription or an add-on?
### Potential HR Tech Partners
When evaluating new vendors specializing in agentic AI, ask:
– What results have your solutions delivered for similar companies?
– Does your AI agent simply automate tasks or continuously learn?
– How does your AI explain its recommendations?
– Can your solution scale as our organization grows?
– What innovations are in your development pipeline?
## The Future of Agentic AI in HR
Industry leaders are heavily investing in agentic AI technology. Dan Beck, President and Chief Product Officer of SAP SuccessFactors, highlighted agentic AI as the most important HR technology development this year. Similarly, Chris Leone from Oracle described their focus on AI agents and growing customer deployments.
When major HR technology providers all invest heavily in a new technology, HR professionals must take notice. Agentic AI represents one of the most significant advances in HR technology in recent years.
While earlier AI implementations might be described as “cool” or “efficient,” truly transformative AI-driven change has been relatively rare. If agentic AI can unlock the full promise of artificial intelligence in HR, it will likely be the defining story of 2025.
## Key Takeaways
1. **Agentic AI goes beyond traditional AI** by operating autonomously, making decisions, and continuously learning from interactions
2. **Major HR technology providers** including Oracle, Workday, SAP, ServiceNow, ADP, and UKG have already launched agentic AI solutions
3. **Before implementing**, HR leaders should have strategic conversations with internal stakeholders, current providers, and potential partners
4. **Practical applications** include end-to-end recruiting, payroll validation, and employee promotions
5. **The impact of agentic AI** could represent the most significant advancement in HR technology in years
# Understanding Agentic AI: The Future of HR Technology
Welcome back to the Inside HR Tech column after a brief hiatus. The HR technology landscape has evolved rapidly, with a new buzzword dominating industry conversations: **agentic AI**. This latest innovation is something HR leaders need to understand to maximize their existing HR tech solutions and make informed decisions about future investments.
## What is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI represents artificial intelligence systems designed to work with significant autonomy, decision-making capability, and adaptability within organizations. Unlike traditional AI that simply analyzes data and offers recommendations, AI agents can:
– Understand context
– Make decisions independently
– Take actions on their own
– Learn continuously from interactions
In enterprise settings, AI agents are built to automate, optimize, and enhance business functions with minimal human oversight while maintaining compliance with policies and strategic goals.
### The Difference Between Simple AI and Agentic AI
**Simple AI in Recruiting**: Early AI applications include chatbots that answer candidate questions, suggest open positions, manage basic screening, and schedule interviews.
**Agentic AI in Recruiting**: These advanced agents guide complex recruiting processes end-to-end. They can independently create job descriptions, source candidates, screen resumes, rank applicants, schedule interviews, and conduct initial assessments—all while dynamically adjusting search criteria based on changing hiring needs.
## Major HR Tech Providers Embracing Agentic AI
Several leading HR technology companies have already launched or announced AI agent capabilities:
**Oracle** has integrated agentic AI features into Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM, automating routine HR tasks and enabling self-service tools for career development, learning, compensation, and timekeeping.
**SAP SuccessFactors** introduced over 130 generative AI features across its cloud applications to automate complex processes and improve decision-making. They’ve also launched SAP Business Data Cloud to support AI applications like Joule, their generative AI copilot.
**Workday** has implemented AI-powered agents for recruiting, expenses, succession planning, and business process optimization. They’ve also announced an AI Agent System of Record to help organizations manage AI agents similar to human coworkers.
**ServiceNow** unveiled agentic AI innovations with their AI Agent Orchestrator ensuring specialized agents work together across systems and departments. They offer pre-built agents for IT, customer service, and HR, along with an AI Agent Studio for creating custom agents.
**ADP** released ADP Assist, combining their extensive HR dataset with generative AI. This solution validates payroll information, checks for anomalies, resolves tax registration issues, and simplifies report creation by understanding context.
**UKG** introduced Bryte AI Agents designed to work alongside employees, proactively solving problems through multi-step processes that improve over time. These agents can handle employee promotions and identify impacts of new tax regulations.
## How HR Leaders Should Approach Agentic AI
When considering agentic AI implementation, HR leaders should have strategic conversations with key stakeholders:
### Internal Stakeholders
Before talking to vendors, align with internal teams (HR, IT, finance, legal, compliance) by asking:
– What HR challenges are we trying to solve with agentic AI?
– How mature is our organization’s AI strategy?
– Do we have the necessary data infrastructure and governance?
– How will we prepare employees for AI-driven workflows?
– What training or change management will be required?
### Current HR Technology Providers
For organizations already using major HR platforms, assess their agentic AI capabilities by asking:
– What agentic AI features do you currently offer and plan to release?
– Can your AI agents be customized for our specific workflows?
– How do you handle sensitive employee data and security?
– Is agentic AI included in our current subscription or an add-on?
### Potential HR Tech Partners
When evaluating new vendors specializing in agentic AI, ask:
– What results have your solutions delivered for similar companies?
– Does your AI agent simply automate tasks or continuously learn?
– How does your AI explain its recommendations?
– Can your solution scale as our organization grows?
– What innovations are in your development pipeline?
## The Future of Agentic AI in HR
Industry leaders are heavily investing in agentic AI technology. Dan Beck, President and Chief Product Officer of SAP SuccessFactors, highlighted agentic AI as the most important HR technology development this year. Similarly, Chris Leone from Oracle described their focus on AI agents and growing customer deployments.
When major HR technology providers all invest heavily in a new technology, HR professionals must take notice. Agentic AI represents one of the most significant advances in HR technology in recent years.
While earlier AI implementations might be described as “cool” or “efficient,” truly transformative AI-driven change has been relatively rare. If agentic AI can unlock the full promise of artificial intelligence in HR, it will likely be the defining story of 2025.
## Key Takeaways
1. **Agentic AI goes beyond traditional AI** by operating autonomously, making decisions, and continuously learning from interactions
2. **Major HR technology providers** including Oracle, Workday, SAP, ServiceNow, ADP, and UKG have already launched agentic AI solutions
3. **Before implementing**, HR leaders should have strategic conversations with internal stakeholders, current providers, and potential partners
4. **Practical applications** include end-to-end recruiting, payroll validation, and employee promotions
5. **The impact of agentic AI** could represent the most significant advancement in HR technology in years