Each week, as SHRM’s executive in residence for AI+HI, I scour the media landscape to bring you expert summaries of the biggest AI headlines—and what they mean for you and your business
1. Anthropic Launches Economic Index to Track AI’s Workforce Impact
What to Know:
Anthropic has introduced the Anthropic Economic Index, a new initiative analyzing how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs. Using data from millions of conversations with Claude.ai, the report finds that AI is used more for augmentation (57%) than automation (43%). AI adoption is highest in software development and writing, and it’s lowest in manual and high-expertise roles. Only 4% of jobs use AI for most tasks, but 36% incorporate AI for at least 25% of their workload.
What’s Good:
The index provides a data-driven, real-world analysis of AI’s impact on jobs from a large language model, moving beyond speculation. By tracking actual AI usage, it offers empirical insights into which industries and tasks AI is affecting most.
The higher augmentation suggests that AI is enhancing work rather than replacing workers, challenging fears of mass job loss. Anthropic’s decision to open-source the dataset also promotes transparency and encourages further research, making it a valuable resource for business leaders and policymakers.
What’s Unclear:
The index has several limitations. It only includes data from Claude.ai’s free and pro users, excluding enterprise users and users of other AI platforms, which may skew the findings. There is also no way to verify whether users were applying AI for work-related tasks or personal use, raising accuracy concerns.
The automation versus augmentation distinction is not always clear-cut, as some AI-assisted tasks blur the line between the two. Lastly, while the index captures current trends, its long-term implications for workforce transformation remain uncertain.
Why It Matters:
We’re finally moving from generic artificial general intelligence-hype into real usage and conversations about understanding its impacts on jobs. This will allow us to begin making plans for job disruption.
2. AI in the Workplace: A Report for 2025
What to Know:
A new McKinsey report finds that employees are more prepared for AI adoption than leaders realize. While 94% of employees are familiar with AI tools, leaders underestimate how much AI is already integrated into daily work. Forty-seven percent of employees believe AI will replace at least 30% of their tasks within a year, but leadership hesitancy is slowing progress. However, 41% of employees remain apprehensive, signaling a need for support, transparency, and training alongside AI expansion.
The report also highlights that technology itself isn’t the main barrier — organizational alignment, leadership action, and training gaps are the bigger challenges.
Why It Matters:
HR leaders have a critical role in bridging the gap between AI readiness and leadership action. Employees need more AI training and clear integration plans to maximize AI’s potential. Without proactive leadership, AI adoption will remain fragmented, and companies risk falling behind. HR can lead AI upskilling efforts, ensure ethical AI governance, and push leadership toward faster, more strategic AI deployment.
3. AI Oversight Could Become an HR Responsibility
What to Know:
As AI becomes central to hiring, performance management, and workplace productivity, HR leaders may soon oversee AI governance. Some experts suggest a new role — chief human and AI resources officer (CHAIRO) — to manage AI integration, ethics, and compliance. Companies like ADP are already involving HR in AI oversight, recognizing its impact on employees and workplace policies.
Why It Matters:
HR’s expertise in ethics, compliance, and workforce management makes it a natural fit for AI oversight. As AI tools shape hiring, training, and employee interactions, HR leaders must ensure fairness, transparency, and legal compliance. If this trend continues, HR’s role in AI governance could expand significantly, requiring new skills and leadership approaches.
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