AI Agents Get Names and Org Charts as Digital Coworkers
Companies are adding AI agents like Microsoft's Scout and Anything's Skydive to org charts, giving them names, roles, and cloud computers to work alongside humans.
AI agents built on large language models are being sold as digital employees capable of completing tasks autonomously. Companies are increasingly treating them as coworkers, complete with names, roles, and even spots on corporate org charts.
In June, Microsoft launched an agent called Scout that can reschedule meetings and draft emails. Anything followed in August with Skydive, a platform offering AI coworkers that work across Slack, email, and iMessage, represented by Muppet-esque avatars.
The shift is visible in workplace culture. At Pronto Housing, CEO Christine Wendell uses agents for writing contracts, scheduling meetings, and sending follow-up emails. Her engineering team began saying they worked with an agent named Alice on a project. An agent named Bob, serving as Wendell's chief of staff, once listed all the details of her calendar in a Slack channel.
Adoption is measurable. A January poll of 1,261 managers found that 22 percent said their organizations had added AI agents to corporate org charts. Boston Consulting Group partner Julie Bedard noted that three years ago, people lacked language for describing AI at work.
As reported by Wired, the trend raises questions about how humans and AI agents will share responsibilities, authority, and credit in the workplace.
Quick answers
What are AI agents in the workplace?
They are digital employees based on large language models that can complete tasks autonomously, such as rescheduling meetings, drafting emails, and writing contracts.
Which companies offer AI agents for work?
Microsoft launched an agent called Scout in June, and Anything launched a platform called Skydive in August that provides AI coworkers with names, roles, and cloud computers.
How many organizations have added AI agents to org charts?
A January poll of 1,261 managers found that 22 percent said their organizations had added AI agents to corporate org charts.