Moving beyond simplistic narratives of mere time savings, The Josh Bersin Company, a leading authority in HR advisory, has revealed the profound and multifaceted influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within human resources. By leveraging a comprehensive approach that blends quantitative data with qualitative organizational insights, specifically analyzing the implementation of AI and decision support tools provided by SAP, the firm has demonstrated that AI’s benefits extend far beyond efficiency.

The study conclusively validates that AI is driving substantial improvements in employee experience, enhancing overall HR effectiveness, and boosting organizational productivity on a global scale.

The new study, Maximizing the Impact of AI in the Age of the Superworker, reveals tangible results, including:

• AI copilots for HR inquiries accelerate employee search speeds by 95%
• AI-driven career assistants boost employee satisfaction with career opportunities by 25%
• AI-powered project and role matching improves skill-to-assignment alignment by 30% and reduces bias in candidate selection by 25%
• Leveraging AI to infer employee skills from performance data results in 25% increase in overall employee performance

These figures add to the growing body of evidence highlighted in Josh Bersin Company’s analysis earlier this year of a key trend: the emergence of the AI-empowered “superworker.”

The research and advisory firm’s most recent research reveals how SAP customers are evolving into superworkers, leveraging AI to enhance the quality of HR services. Crucially, none of the use cases achieved bottom-line gains through workforce reductions or replacing employees with AI—addressing the top concern among both the public and employees about AI in the workplace.

Maximizing the Impact of AI in the Age of the Superworker also outlines the key groups benefiting from AI. While employees and candidates see the most significant impact—given AI’s high multiplier effect in this group on overall company outcomes—other beneficiaries include managers and leaders, HR professionals such as recruiters and HR operations, HRBPs (HR Business Partners), frontline HR staff handling frequent employee inquiries, and L&D specialists.

Maximizing the Impact of AI in the Age of the Superworker also highlights key benefits that companies aim to achieve by embedding AI into HR workflows, enabling organizations and employees to:

• Streamline routine HR transactions and drive efficiency (e.g., processing leave requests, managing benefits enrollment, handling expense approvals).
• Reduce time to hire and enhance the candidate experience
• Improve the quality of hires
• Boost talent mobility and retention.

The study highlights a wide range of AI-driven use cases seamlessly integrated into the flow of work, including:

• Regular use of informational search assistants
• Improved self-service efficiency through AI-powered HR support
• Conversational AI for navigating and executing core HR transactions using Generative AI that translates employee aspirations into personalized goal-setting
• Tailored guidance on essential skills for career growth
• AI-driven skill inference and recommendations based on performance data
• And more.

Kathi Enderes, global industry analyst and SVP Research, Josh Bersin Company, says:

“Our analysis of SAP AI tools like Joule at large global organizations shows AI isn’t just about automation—it’s about enabling every employee to become a superworker.

“Businesses are using next-gen AI not just to streamline work but to solve real challenges and drive better outcomes.

“Adopting AI-powered tools—from copilots to Talent Intelligence Hubs—proves that problem-solving AI is here, scalable, and making a real impact in mainstream enterprises.

“In tangible financial terms, for an organization with 10,000 employees, even a modest 0.25% increase in productivity per employee translates to 5.2 additional hours of productivity per year per person—a small individual gain that, when scaled across the workforce, can drive significant bottom-line impact.”

Josh Bersin, global industry analyst and CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, says:

“As we move further into 2025, the momentum is undeniable—AI is actively elevating employee performance and productivity. Conversations with leading SAP customers reinforce how companies are now strategically leveraging AI to tackle real business challenges every day.

“I’m especially pleased that the data confirms what I’ve long believed: AI’s business benefits extend far beyond efficiency and cost savings. It’s fundamentally about enhancing the employee experience, driving better business outcomes, and dramatically improving workforce performance.

“And crucially, we’re proving that AI is all about boosting the productivity of people, not just thinning the ranks.”