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The advent of AI agents in the enterprise suggests a future with a digital workforce that can perform tasks and learn users’ preferences, someday making them as ubiquitous as smartphones are today.
While generative AI’s ability to create images or write code is already well known, AI agents “take it a step further,” said David Somers, chief product officer at Workday. “AI agents actually take action. They complete tasks, and they interact in the world around them.”
In a recent conversation with Jim Stratton, chief technology officer at Workday, Somers likened generative AI to an engine and the AI agent as the car: “The engine is powerful, but it’s the car that really gets you to where you want to go.”
Opportunities and Guardrails Around AI Agents
Already, HR and finance use cases are proving the capabilities of AI agents. For instance, a recruiting agent can help talent acquisition professionals source candidates, automate outreach, and improve hiring quality, Somers said. AI agents are also assisting HR business partners, payroll specialists, and finance professionals in their daily tasks.
Yet the adoption of AI agents also presents new considerations for business leaders. Integrating AI agents into the workforce, Somers said, will require leaders to treat them as valuable collaborators while maintaining a focus on employee well-being and trust.
“Just as organizations need a system to manage employees, we fundamentally believe they’re going to need a way to manage the digital workforce as well,” Somers said. “There’s going to need to be a single source of truth ensuring that these AI agents are deployed, they’re monitored, and they’re maintained in a way that aligns with your organization’s goals, your ethical guidelines, and also industry regulations and country regulations as well.”