Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its start and has become an integral part of our daily lives today. Initially limited to performing simple, specific tasks, AI lacked the ability to learn, adapt, and evolve. However, as technology advanced, so did AI. The development of machine learning algorithms and deep learning models allowed AI systems to understand data, learn from errors, improve their performance over time, and eventually perform autonomous tasks, marking the beginning of a new era in AI – Generative AI (GenAI).
In the workplace, AI is transforming the way businesses operate, making processes more efficient, improving productivity, saving time, cutting costs, and optimizing operations. AI is also improving work lives for employees, as it helps automate mundane and error-prone tasks, such as reviewing time-off requests, shift swapping, and accommodating scheduling preferences. This frees up valuable time, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work that requires creativity, critical thinking, and strategic planning. Overall, AI has helped employees take significant steps toward achieving a better work-life balance while also enhancing the ability to provide tailored and unique insights that dramatically improve their experiences.
At UKG, AI has been embedded in solutions since the late 1990s, working alongside employees in small, midsize businesses and large organizations helping them make informed decisions, and achieve better and more positive results. From schedule optimization and statistical-based forecasting to today’s GenAI technology that includes AI-assisted search and workforce insights capabilities, UKG’s AI leverages our unique data and technology to deliver tailored insights that help create thriving environments and great workplaces.
Powered by the depth of the world’s largest collection of culture and work data, UKG Bryte AI works as a trusted advisor helping people unlock better outcomes by guiding them toward more accurate information, and better decision-making for themselves and their organizations. Undoubtedly, the evolution of AI has already brought positive developments to HR technology, and as we continue to witness the transformative impact of integrating GenAI in human capital management (HCM) solutions, one of the most promising applications is the future use and implementation of AI agents: a new era of AI in the workplace.
What are AI agents?
Unlike traditional AI, which operates within predefined conditions, agentic AI possesses a degree of autonomy and can make decisions based on its understanding of the environment. AI Agents leverage artificial intelligence to reason, analyze, sequence and breakdown requested work into tasks which can then take action and execute on the user's behalf. That work can come in the form of a user prompt, or it can be sensed by the AI from the ecosystem without human intervention. In simple terms, AI agents work alongside people to perform tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously, with human check points to ensure ethical utilization, because agents understand their surroundings and take action to achieve pre-defined goals, such as answering employees' inquiries or executing business processes and workflows in an automated manner.
AI Agents in the HCM Industry
The flexibility of agentic AI to work semiautonomous or autonomously is particularly valuable in HCM as it can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, freeing up valuable time and resources and allowing employees to focus on more strategic work. AI agents provide actionable insights, helping frontline workers, individual contributors, HR managers, and people leaders make more informed decisions. Moreover, agentic AI systems continuously learn and adapt through feedback loops, becoming more personalized and effective over time. This adaptability ensures that AI remains increasingly applicable and relevant as organizational needs evolve, providing a sustainable competitive advantage while fostering a supportive workplace culture. Over time, AI agents help organizations boost productivity, improve overall decision-making and personalize employee experiences. Specifically, in HR technology, AI agents support:
- Onboarding – automate onboarding tasks such as paperwork and account setup, and provide personalized training materials for new hires.
- Performance & Coaching – identify areas of improvement and provide employees with personalized feedback and coaching recommendations, for personal growth and career success.
- Compliance and Risk Management – monitor regulatory changes to ensure company policies are up-to-date, and detect potential issues by analyzing data patterns and anomalies.
- Payroll Processing – perform complex payroll calculations with high precision, reducing errors and ensuring compliance with changing regulations
- Employee Self-Service – quickly access company key documents and submit requests for leave, benefits, and other services without needing to go through HR teams.
UKG Bryte AI agents, hold a unique edge leveraging over 30 years of the industry’s largest source of people, work, and culture data. Bryte AI agents integrate into our human capital and workforce management solutions to help our customers harness the power of artificial intelligence and create exceptional workplace experiences. By delivering verticalized and personalized AI-driven solutions, UKG helps employees regardless of their role, business size, and industry to streamline people-centric processes such as swapping shifts, promoting or onboarding employees, and providing insights about paychecks and benefits.
Bryte AI agents are designed to work together with employees, by completing day-to-day tasks autonomously or with minimal user approval, augmenting their capabilities and allowing employees to focus on more complex and interpersonal tasks. Arriving in the near future:
- Self-Scheduling Agent for the healthcare industry – Creating a self-scheduling calendar request for the upcoming shifts, based on schedule preferences and availability, minimizing the time nurses and health practitioners spend when self-scheduling.
- Great Place To Work Leadership Actions Agent – Providing actionable leadership recommendations and developing training programs for people leaders across teams in different locations and organizational levels.
“Bryte AI agents, are extensible and configurable AI agents that can streamline everyday tasks and address employee needs in real-time. They have the potential to enhance productivity and improve the overall employee experience.”
– Eli Tsinovoi, Director, Product Management, AI
Embracing the power of agentic AI in your human capital management solution is a strategic move that can help transform your organization and help you create a great place to work. Interested in learning how this new era of AI can revolutionize your business? Learn more about UKG Bryte AI Agents!
