How AI agents represent the next big shift in the workforce

We envision a future where technology empowers people, not the other way around. We see agents as allies, automating the tedious to free us for more meaningful work. This collaborative approach, where humans and AI work together, is what will drive the next wave of productivity and progress.

To achieve this, we’re building role-based agents that understand the nuances of how humans work, have the necessary skills attached to their roles, and seamlessly integrate into existing workflows. This creates a future where AI is not just a tool to complete a task, but a true partner in the workplace across complex business processes. 

The value of agentic AI

Business leaders need to think of the AI agent as a valuable collaborator. They can strategically integrate them into the workforce to unlock significant benefits in productivity, innovation, and even overall employee satisfaction.

For example, in accounting, an agent could handle tasks like data entry, reconciliation, and report generation—even conduct complex financial audits—allowing accountants to focus on financial analysis, forecasting, and strategic planning.

Similarly, in human resources, an agent could automate tasks like screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and onboarding new hires—freeing up HR professionals to focus on talent development, employee engagement, and building a positive workplace culture.

By taking over repetitive and time-consuming tasks, agents enable employees to work more efficiently and effectively, leading to improved productivity and a greater impact on the organization’s overall success.

The challenges of agentic AI

Like any new technology, agents come with their own set of challenges. We need to be mindful of these challenges and take steps to mitigate them to ensure that we’re using AI responsibly and ethically.

Accuracy, system access, consistency, bias, speed, and cost are all things we need to consider carefully when implementing AI agents in the enterprise. The key is finding the right balance, which is why it’s so important to set clear boundaries and rules for how they operate.

We also need to be prepared for the potential impact of agents on the workforce. As AI agents become more integrated into our work lives, we need to be mindful of the evolving roles and responsibilities within our teams.

This means we need to invest in upskilling employees to adapt to the changing nature of work and acquire new skills that complement AI capabilities. It also means creating new roles and opportunities that leverage the unique skills and capabilities of humans.

The need for digital workforce management

As we enter this new era of workforce management, we need to have the right tools and frameworks in place. Many companies today lack a central way to manage the complexity of AI agents, which is a risk that must be considered.

Organizations need a way to manage the digital workforce. There’s going to need to be a single source of truth ensuring that these AI agents are deployed, monitored, and maintained in a way that aligns with the organization’s goals, ethical guidelines, and industry regulations.

That’s where a digital workforce management solution comes in. This acts as a central hub for governing, auditing, monitoring, and managing role-based access controls, ensuring AI agents are used responsibly and efficiently. But it’s more than just a management tool; it’s the foundation of trust and security in this exciting new world of agentic AI.

The Workday Agent System of Record is a digital workforce management system built to help organizations manage and govern their AI agents. It provides a central command center to guide the entire lifecycle of AI agents from onboarding, role-based access, through to “retirement,” optimizing costs related to their development and maintenance, ensuring data privacy and mitigating bias, and monitoring performance to ensure they’re contributing to business success.

The future of work is being shaped by the innovative strides we make today. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our work lives, it creates a more efficient and fulfilling work experience for everyone.