2025 is poised to be a pivotal year for the HR industry, marked by a shift from AI hype to practical application and a focus on human-centered solutions. Dr. Lindsey Zuloaga, Chief Data Scientist at HireVue, anticipates a move towards clarity and accuracy in AI terminology, emphasizing the importance of transparency and ethical use of machine learning. Sibyl McCarley, Chief People Officer at HireVue, calls for a move away from over-reliance on referrals, advocating for a more diverse and challenging talent pool.

Here’s a look at what else they predict.

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 at HireVue

In 2025, the over-reliance on referrals is a trend I’d like to see us evolve from. Referrals are great because they allow us to hire a more or less “known quantity”, but it doesn’t do much to diversify the talent pool. It also means that you’re hiring people who may not challenge the team as much as if you brought in an outsider/someone you haven’t worked with before.

~ Sibyl McCarley, Chief People Officer at HireVue

There is a lot in store for our industry in 2025. Talent acquisition and talent management functions will continue to consolidate, driving greater efficiency and alignment. Internal talent marketplaces will gain traction as organizations prioritize internal mobility, supported by the mainstream adoption of skill taxonomies from platforms like Workday and other HCM providers. Generative AI will become a standard tool for creating hiring content, including job descriptions, interview questions, assessments, and pre-screens. Data will remain a critical asset, with organizations leveraging it to drive decisions. Finally, AI-driven streamlined hiring processes will increasingly outpace traditional validated processes, as speed and efficiency become paramount in securing top talent.

~ Dr. Nathan Mondragon, Chief Innovation Officer at HireVue

AI in HR: Revolutionizing Recruitment, Retention, and Development

Imagine an HR department where hiring decisions are data-driven, retention is second nature, and employee development is personalized and engaging. This isn’t a distant dream—it’s the reality that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is bringing to HR organizations today. AI is transforming HR by automating tasks, enhancing communication, and providing support. Machine learning and predictive analytics can empower HR by providing insights that help anticipate employee behaviors, such as turnover risk, supporting data-driven strategies to improve retention, streamlining the hiring process,  and creating personalized employee experiences. Then enters Generative AI, a game-changer for HR, automating content creation, improving question answering, and summarizing text and content. HR professionals can leverage Generative AI tools to more efficiently create job descriptions, employee communications, and training materials, saving significant time.

When implementing AI in HR, organizations should weigh the value against the feasibility of AI applications, prioritizing those with the highest potential. This value-feasibility analysis ensures that AI adoption yields measurable gains without undue disruption.

Balancing the benefits and risksof generative AI is essential, alongside adhering to responsibleAI practices. This involves ensuring that AI systems are transparent, accountable, and fair. Organizations must implement measures to identify and reduce bias that could lead to unfair treatment of employees. Regular audits and updates of AI systems help maintain their ethical use and reliability.

Welcome to the future of Human Resources, where AI is not just a tool, but a catalyst for change, driving organizational success and employee satisfaction. Embrace AI and transform your HR practices to build a more innovative, efficient, and supportive workplace.

~ Rebekah Roberts, Learning and Development Program Manager, at University of Phoenix

Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce: Personalizing the Employee Journey

In today’s diverse workplace, multiple generations—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—work side by side and bring unique perspectives and needs to the table. HR can play a pivotal role in personalizing the employee journey to cater to each generation’s preferences and expectations. For Baby Boomers, who value stability and face-to-face communication, HR can offer mentorship programs and opportunities for knowledge sharing. Gen X employees, known for their independence and work-life balance priorities, may benefit from flexible work arrangements and personalized professional development opportunities.

Millennials, who seek purpose and continuous feedback, can be engaged through meaningful work, regular conversations with their manager, and clear career advancement paths. Gen Z, known for their passionate support of social causes and desire for prompt feedback, thrives in organizations with strong Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and individualized attention. HR can leverage AI to provide personalized learning paths, real-time feedback, and digital communication platforms. By understanding and addressing the distinct needs of each generation, HR can create a more inclusive, engaging, and productive work environment for all employees.

Skills Management and Internal Talent Marketplace

AI-enabled skills management has become a critical tool in HR, with applications across learning, development, and talent acquisition. By analyzing employees’ skillsets, AI can help identify gaps, recommend reskilling or upskilling pathways, and facilitate personalized career pathing. This approach also supports effective hiring and sourcing by matching candidates with roles that align with their strengths, while fostering ongoing skill development within the workforce. 

In internal talent marketplaces, these skill insights enable organizations to match employees to gig and project work, enhancing agility and strategic workforce planning. Employees benefit from expanded internal mobility and experiential learning opportunities, allowing them to gain diverse experiences that advance their careers. 

Furthermore, there is also emphasis on building collective intelligence, to solve skills gap by developing expertise directly from what employees do at work daily. This helps employees at lower levels to have good knowledge and understanding of the skills they need to develop for their career growth.

This integrated approach to skills management and talent marketplaces supports enhanced productivity and capacity utilization, improved quality of hire, and builds a resilient, adaptable workforce for evolving business needs. 

The “Employee First” Approach – Enhancing Employee Experience 

Employee experience is increasingly central to HR, focusing on holistic approaches to improve engagement and well-being. Key highlights include: 

• Personalized experiences: Organizations are moving towards implementing more personalized experiences, such as tailored leadership development programs, personalized coaching, benefits and well-being programs that address mental, physical and financial well-being.
• Increased employee flexibility: Flexible work policies are crucial for maintaining a work-life balance. Remote and hybrid work models, compressed workweeks, flexible working hours – these trends underscore a shift from rigid one-size-fits-all policies to adaptable frameworks that respect individual needs and encourage a more balanced workforce. Productivity analytics has also taken center stage driven by the need to reassess workforce productivity.
• Streamlining technology and tools: As employees navigate complex information and tasks across multiple systems, simplifying these interactions is essential for keeping employees engaged and productive. Human-guided AI plays a vital role here by enhancing accessibility and efficiency through conversational interfaces, such as virtual assistants and chatbots. By creating a seamless, journey like experience for employees, AI can improve employee satisfaction and foster a more efficient and engaged workplace. 

~ Shruthi Kumar, Sr. Dir HR Technology and Employee Services, and Annie Varghese, Dir. HRIS and HR Analytics, at University of Phoenix