We’ve reached a critical inflection point in the evolution of work. According to our AI Jobs Barometer, 69% of the fastest-growing jobs globally already show above average exposure to AI. And that’s before the full impact of agentic AI is felt.
Unlike earlier waves of automation - or even generative AI - agentic AI doesn’t wait for a prompt. It initiates action, adapts on the fly and can work autonomously towards goals. That unlocks immense productivity potential, but it also demands a rethink of how work is structured, governed and led.
Organisations have a narrow window to act. Those that move decisively to prepare their workforce and reimagine how work gets done will gain a significant competitive edge. Those that delay risk being left behind - not by AI itself, but by competitors who are quicker to harness it.
Agentic AI shouldn’t be seen as a threat – but as a catalyst to reshape roles, upskill talent and unlock more meaningful human contribution. Based on our latest global research and work with clients and technology partners, here are five steps leaders should take to prepare their people and organisations for the age of agentic AI:
1. Rethink roles, not just tasks
Our AI Jobs Barometer shows that AI isn’t just changing what people do - it’s reshaping entire job categories. The fastest growing roles are those that combine digital skills with human strengths like critical thinking, creativity and leadership.
Rather than automating tasks in isolation, forward-looking organisations are redesigning roles to pair human judgment with AI-powered productivity. Agentic AI will only accelerate this shift. Picture a customer service agent supported by an autonomous system that proactively resolves issues, escalates complex cases and drafts tailored responses. Or a knowledge worker who delegates data analysis to an AI agent, freeing time for strategic decision-making.
These changes won’t eliminate jobs en masse - but they will redefine them. That means building new skill sets, new role designs and a new mindset about how value is created.
2. Put humans at the centre of AI deployment
Agentic AI’s ability to act independently makes it powerful - but also unpredictable. To deploy it responsibly, organisations must put human-centric design and governance at the heart of every use case.
That means embedding responsible frameworks and control mechanisms from the start, ensuring diverse development teams to find blind spots and continuously monitoring how AI agents behave in real-world conditions.
Transparency, auditability and human oversight aren’t optional - they’re essential to safe, sustainable AI adoption.
3. Prepare your workforce for Co-Pilots and Co-Agents
One of the most profound shifts agentic AI brings is a new model of collaboration: humans working side-by-side with autonomous systems. Where generative AI has served as a co-pilot, agentic AI acts as a co-agent - initiating tasks, coordinating with other systems and learning over time.
This requires more than just technical upskilling. Workers need support to build AI fluency - understanding what AI can (and can’t) do, how to interact with it effectively and how to critically evaluate its outputs.
Organisations should invest in continuous learning programmes tailored to job roles and functions. Just as importantly, leaders must lead by example - engaging with AI directly, experimenting openly, and nurturing a culture of curiosity and adaptability.
4. Lead with trust and transparency
Agentic AI brings both promise and concern. Employees may worry about job security. Customers may question how their data is being used. Regulators are watching closely. In this context, trust is your license to operate.
The most successful organisations are engaging employees early in the AI journey - co-designing new workflows, explaining not just what’s changing but why and setting clear expectations around new responsibilities.
They’re also aligning AI strategies with their broader ESG and responsible business commitments - ensuring AI enhances fairness, inclusion and sustainability, rather than undermining them.
Trust isn't built through policies alone. It's built through consistent, transparent action.
5. Reimagine leadership for an AI-augmented world
Agentic AI doesn’t just call for new roles - it calls for a new kind of leadership.
Leaders must navigate ambiguity, embrace experimentation and guide their organisations through rapid cycles of change. That means shifting from a command and control mindset to one of empowerment that encourages teams to explore how AI can augment their work, rather than fearing displacement.
Leadership also requires making bold, values-based decisions: How do we use AI to elevate people? How do we balance efficiency with responsible use? How do we ensure progress is inclusive?
As the nature of work evolves, the role of the leader must evolve too - from directing change to enabling human potential in an AI-augmented world.
The time to act is now
Agentic AI isn’t a distant possibility - it’s already here. AI agents are already being developed and deployed to autonomously summarise documents, manage workflows and coordinate actions across systems, marking a significant evolution in how work is executed.
As capabilities scale, the divide will grow between organisations that act boldly - and those that hesitate.
The challenge ahead isn’t just technological. It’s human. And the opportunities are exponential. The organisations that succeed will be those that approach agentic AI not as a tool to replace people, but as a catalyst to elevate them - amplifying human potential, unlocking new value, and creating more meaningful work.
Leaders have a responsibility - and an opportunity - to guide this transformation with clarity and intention so that agentic AI empowers people and contributes to long-term, sustainable progress. The choices made today will shape the workforce of tomorrow.
Workforce
Creating a future-ready workforce