'AI that cuts workload beats extra vacation days,' HR enters the agent era

A new survey suggests workers are placing more hope in AI that reduces their workload than in traditional workplace benefits. As enterprise AI expands beyond simple question-and-answer functions into HR data analysis, performance management and scheduling, the pace of AI adoption in human resources is accelerating.

Lee Na-kyung, a partner at SAP SuccessFactors, said Wednesday at the "What Should We Prepare for in the HR AI Era" session of Deloitte Connect Korea, held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul, that "about 20 percent of respondents said they would choose AI that reduces their workload over benefits such as extra vacation days or meal allowances."

Lee highlighted SAP's conversational AI "Joule" as distinct from general-purpose large language models such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, pointing to its understanding of internal corporate context. Joule can draw on personnel data, organizational charts and company-specific workflows accumulated in SAP's HR management solution SuccessFactors to suggest responses and process steps, she said.

The session featured live demonstrations of Joule applied to performance management and HR data analysis. In the performance management demo, when an evaluator asked for a summary of feedback on a specific employee, Joule analyzed performance records and multi-rater evaluation results stored in the system and compiled the key findings. It then drafted a meeting invitation email, checked participants' schedules through a Microsoft Teams integration and booked the meeting — all through natural-language commands.

In the HR data analysis demonstration, the AI agent instantly generated charts in response to queries about company-wide headcount changes or average salaries by team. It also automatically flagged additional metrics worth monitoring, such as a declining trend in the number of senior managers or a turnover-rate warning for junior staff. The system went beyond displaying data to identifying anomalies and suggesting next steps.

Lee said the role of AI agents is expanding beyond that of conventional AI tools. Users state a goal, after which the AI determines the necessary steps, retrieves relevant data and carries out the task. "Beyond standard use cases, personalized agents can be extended and implemented to meet each company's needs," she said. "In a fast-changing AI era, SuccessFactors will serve as a partner to businesses."

Meanwhile, SAP is extending its enterprise AI applications beyond HR. The company recently partnered with professional esports organization Team Liquid to unveil an AI-based voice intelligence application that analyzes in-game voice communications. The application converts players' voice data into text and analyzes speakers and emotional states, helping coaching staff quickly assess team communication patterns and decision-making processes.