Ryan FowlerA new study from Vlerick Business School has revealed that 59% of HR leaders report their departments are making little to no use of artificial intelligence (AI), despite growing recognition of its potential to improve the employee experience and drive strategic value.
The findings come from the 11th edition of the HR Barometer, an annual study by Vlerick in collaboration with Hudson, based on insights from over 120 HR leaders across Belgium.
The data shows that HR departments are approaching AI cautiously, with just 3% reporting full integration and 45% rolling out applications in a gradual manner. Twenty-four percent of respondents said their HR team lacks a clear AI strategy altogether.
While AI is already widely deployed in sectors like IT and marketing, HR teams face more practical barriers. These include a lack of expertise, limited budgets, time constraints, and the availability of high-quality data. Ethical or regulatory concerns, often cited as barriers elsewhere, were far less prominent in HR.
Despite the slow uptake, 58% of respondents believe adoption is progressing too slowly. Nearly half (48%) view AI primarily as a tool for value creation, while only 29% see it as a way to cut costs. The majority say the main incentive for AI adoption is to enhance the employee experience.
Currently, the most common use of AI in HR is content generation – such as writing job advertisements or producing videos – with 69% of departments using it for this purpose. More advanced use cases, such as predictive CV analysis (14%), HR process automation (18%), and chatbot deployment (25%), remain in early stages.
Dirk Buyens, professor of human resources management at Vlerick Business School, said: “There’s no widespread resistance to AI in HR -what we’re seeing is a deliberate, cautious rollout. There is a growing conviction that AI can enhance HR decision-making and help shift focus toward more strategic, value-driven work.”
Concerns that AI will replace HR roles appear limited. Just 20% of respondents believe AI will significantly affect employment levels, while nearly half expect little or no change to headcount.
Ellen Volckaert, senior R&D manager at Hudson, added: “As regulations such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act take shape, HR leaders will need to define clear, ethical strategies for AI. The future of AI in HR lies in responsible experimentation and gradual progress, with a strong focus on value creation and human oversight.”
To make more effective use of AI, the researchers recommend that HR leaders focus on building a clear implementation strategy, upskilling teams, and allocating sufficient resources. A phased approach, they argue, will allow HR departments to benefit from AI while maintaining oversight and trust.
