Lively Research Reveals HR Leaders Are Adopting AI to Reclaim Time, Not Replace Teams

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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 10, 2026--

Lively, Inc., a top-rated health and lifestyle benefits platform* and #1 fastest growing HSA provider according to Devenir 1, known for building the modern Health Savings Account (HSA), today released its latest benchmark report, How HR Leaders Are Using AI in 2026, revealing that enterprise HR teams are embracing artificial intelligence as a practical tool to reduce operational overload — not as a sweeping replacement for human roles.

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How HR leaders are using AI in 2026: Benchmark findings from Lively

According to a November 2025 survey of more than 250 HR leaders at US-based companies with 1,000 or more employees, AI adoption intent is high, expectations are grounded, and benefits administration has emerged as the clearest starting point for real, measurable impact.

93% of HR leaders believe AI can improve efficiency across HR and benefits workflows, and nearly 66% see AI as a way to augment their teams rather than replace them. More than nine in ten HR leaders plan to add an AI-powered HR or benefits tool in the next year.

“Despite the headlines, HR leaders aren’t chasing AI for transformation’s sake,” said Alex Cyriac, co-founder and CEO of Lively. “They’re looking for relief. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary work, reduce fragmentation, and free up time so HR can focus on strategy, employee experience, and retention.”

Benefits Administration Emerges as the Bottleneck for AI to Solve

The report highlights benefits administration — particularly HSAs and FSAs — as one of the largest drains on HR capacity. As healthcare costs continue to rise and organizations rely more heavily on consumer-driven healthcare models, HR teams are absorbing the operational burden.

Key findings include:

• 84% of HR teams spend between 5 and 20 hours per week on manual benefits administration
• 45% spend 11–20 hours weekly specifically on pre-tax benefits tasks
• Nearly 66% say day-to-day benefits issues regularly prevent them from focusing on strategic priorities

Manual processes, employee education, reimbursement and claims processing, and data reconciliation across fragmented systems were cited as the most time-consuming challenges.

Optimism Is High — but So Are Expectations

HR leaders report strong optimism toward AI, with 71% describing themselves as optimistic and 68% saying they feel excited about increased AI use in HR. At the same time, respondents indicated skepticism toward tools that add complexity rather than eliminate it.

The report emphasizes that successful AI adoption in 2026 will depend on outcomes-driven implementation. HR leaders are prioritizing AI that is deeply integrated into core workflows, reduces system fragmentation, and offers transparency around data security and compliance. HR has lived through decades of technology that promised efficiency but delivered more work. AI will only scale if it demonstrably reduces noise and runs foundational programs quietly and reliably in the background.

A Practical Path Forward for 2026

Rather than advocating for more AI across the board, the report outlines four data-driven actions for HR leaders, including starting with where time is being lost, using benefits as a proving ground, prioritizing integrated solutions, and demanding transparency from vendors upfront.

The key takeaway: AI’s opportunity in HR isn’t about trend-chasing — it’s about reclaiming time, restoring focus, and enabling HR teams to operate at the level modern organizations demand.

The full report, How HR Leaders Are Using AI in 2026, is available now from Lively.

About Lively

Lively is the health and lifestyle benefits provider that gets it right. Our solutions are designed to take the guesswork out of managing benefits and drive efficiency for HR teams. Our innovative platform combines robust features with unparalleled service, to make maximizing your benefits as simple as it should be.

Lively currently offers HSA, FSA, HRA, COBRA, Direct Bill, Commuter, Lifestyle Spending Accounts, and Medical Travel Accounts.
https://livelyme.com/

*Lively’s HSA is top-rated according to Morningstar’s 2024 Health Savings Account Landscape, G2, Trustpilot, and Lively's Customer Satisfaction survey.

1 Devenir Research “2024 Year-End HSA Market Report” and “2025 Midyear HSA Market Report.” Based on percentage growth in total HSA assets and total HSA accounts among the top 10 custodians listed by Devenir over the measured period. Rankings reflect Devenir-reported data only. Lively did not pay for participation in, nor commission, these reports.

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SOURCE: Lively, Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2026.

PUB: 02/10/2026 09:00 AM/DISC: 02/10/2026 09:00 AM

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