New research from AMS, a global talent solutions provider, in partnership with Wakefield Research, highlights a critical tension in the workplace: while business leaders overwhelmingly view AI as essential for remaining competitive in talent acquisition, significant misalignment persists between HR teams and C-suite executives on how AI should be applied. The study, surveying 300 CHROs, C-suite leaders, and HR decision-makers in the U.S., reveals widespread optimism about AI’s potential alongside concerns over execution, job security, and ethical integration.
Quick Intel
The findings reflect a workplace at a crossroads: leaders recognize AI’s strategic role in addressing skills shortages, boosting efficiency (cited by 67% as the main driver over cost savings), and improving talent outcomes, yet organizational alignment lags. This disconnect risks leaving companies behind in a talent market where speed, skill visibility, and ethical AI use increasingly determine success.
“Leaders agree AI will define the next era of talent strategy, but this research makes clear that alignment is lagging behind capabilities,” said Gordon Stuart, CEO of AMS. “Bridging that gap is now a business imperative. Without a coordinated approach between HR and the C-suite, organizations risk falling behind in a competitive talent market where speed, skill visibility, and ethical decision-making will increasingly be shaped by AI.”
The research also uncovers a workforce divided on AI’s broader impact. While enthusiasm exists for efficiency gains and the hiring of AI-savvy HR leaders (53% expect to do so in the next two years), anxiety about job displacement remains high. At the same time, leaders continue to prioritize human judgment, with more than three-quarters valuing soft skills even more amid AI advancements—indicating AI is seen as augmenting, not replacing, human capabilities.
Ethical considerations show maturity: nearly nine in ten organizations have established formal AI guidelines approved by leadership and communicated to talent teams. CHROs lead on this front, with 93% reporting ethical standards in place. The high acceptance of candidates using AI for résumé enhancement (87%) further suggests a pragmatic, evolving stance on responsible AI use in hiring.
“As we begin 2026, C-suites and the talent industry are knee-deep in strategizing how their business will be affected by the ever-evolving impact of AI,” added Stuart. “Our data lays out a blueprint for how leaders are thinking and taking action around talent and AI, which grows workforce productivity and business commerciality. Leaders integrating the ethical use of AI into the talent processes now will outpace their peers as AI fluency and digestible value adds only continues to grow.”
The study underscores the need for organizations to close the alignment gap, invest in AI talent capabilities, and embed ethical frameworks to fully realize AI’s potential in talent acquisition. Without coordinated strategy, the risk is not just missed efficiency gains but falling behind competitors who successfully integrate AI into their talent strategies.
About the Study
The AMS Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 300 total decision-makers across the U.S., including 100 CHROs, 100 Other C-Suite Leaders (CEOs, CTOs, CIOs, etc.), and 100 HR & Talent Decision-Makers (Manager-level and higher) between October 9th and October 28th, 2025, using an email invitation and online survey. Results are subject to a margin of error of ±5.7 percentage points for the total sample and ±9.8 percentage points for each subgroup at the 95% confidence level.
About AMS
We are people experts. Our 8,000 colleagues power talent acquisition and consulting strategies that deliver results for leading organizations across 120 countries. We partner with our clients to help re-define a new era of talent, driven by people, process, data and technology, enabling them to attract and retain the talent they need to achieve their vision. Our core areas of service: talent acquisition and orchestration; and talent consulting are amplified by digital capability and strategic technology partnerships that span permanent and contingent workforces.
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