Workday Rising 2025 in San Francisco brought together thousands of HR and technology leaders to explore what’s next in AI, skills and talent technology. For talent acquisition (TA) leaders and HR tech buyers, the message was clear: The future of hiring will be AI-powered, skills-focused and built on unified platforms.
Here’s what stood out – and why it matters for talent acquisition.
AI in Action – But with Responsibility
It will be no surprise that AI and automation were everywhere at Workday Rising. Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach reminded attendees that companies aren’t competing against AI, they’re competing against competitors who are using AI.
Workday showcased its latest AI agents designed to handle repetitive HR processes, such as performance feedback summaries and HR case management. The vision is for Workday to evolve from a system of record into a system of action – where AI agents understand context and take meaningful steps on behalf of people.
But responsibility was front and centre too. Workday emphasized AI governance, with frameworks and factsheets to ensure transparency and guard against bias. Keynote speaker, the refreshingly authentic and relatable Brené Brown, reminded the audience that even in an AI-first world, “personal connections are critically important.” For TA leaders, the takeaway is to embrace AI with safeguards – automating the repetitive tasks, while keeping humans in control of hiring decisions.
The Rise of Skills-First Talent Strategies
A second big theme was the shift to a skills-first approach. Workday data showed employees are optimistic about AI’s productivity boost but are concerned about losing critical thinking skills.
Forward-thinking employers are responding by doubling down on upskilling and reskilling. At Workday Rising, experts discussed creating “AI black belts” – champions inside organisations who keep pace with emerging tech and mentor others.
For talent acquisition leaders, this signals a growing need to recruit for skills, not just roles – and to partner with HR colleagues on reskilling programs that make your workforce more adaptable.
Why Platform Consolidation Matters
If there was one refrain for tech buyers, it was this: Simplify and unify your stack. Point solutions and siloed data are holding organisations back from realizing the full potential of AI. Workday’s direction – and the industry’s broader trend – is toward consolidated platforms where recruiting, onboarding and internal mobility are tightly connected. For talent acquisition, that means better data visibility, cleaner candidate journeys and lower total cost of ownership.
Spotlight: Unilever’s TA Tech Transformation
One of the most practical case studies at Workday Rising came from Unilever, presented by Kevin Laban. Like many global employers, Unilever was weighed down by a fragmented talent acquisition tech stack – multiple tools, manual processes and rising costs.
By consolidating onto Workday and integrating the Radancy Talent Acquisition Cloud, Unilever created a unified, AI-enabled TA ecosystem on just two platforms. The impact?
- Reduced costs and maximised ROI.
- Increased recruiter efficiency and productivity.
- More personalized, seamless candidate experiences.
- Stronger data for better decision making.
We distilled the lessons into three essentials for TA leaders:
- Control your tech stack – Simplify and build for scale.
- Control your costs – Centralize spend and invest in automation.
- Control your data – Clean, consistent data fuels meaningful AI.
Looking Ahead
Workday Rising 2025 underscored that the future of talent acquisition lies in responsible AI, skills-first strategies and unified platforms. The hype around AI is real – but the practical applications are here now.
For talent acquisition leaders, the priority is clear: Put the foundations in place today so your teams can spend less time wrestling with systems and more time focusing on what matters – hiring great people and helping them grow.
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