Workday: Employees Embrace AI, But Not as Their Boss
In an evolving workplace increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, new research from Workday sheds light on a nuanced employee perspective: most individuals are willing to collaborate with AI agents, but a strong desire for human oversight and clear operational boundaries persists. The findings, released Tuesday, cut through the pervasive hype surrounding AI to reveal what employees truly think about these intelligent systems and their implications for the future of work.
Workday commissioned a global survey to explore the potential for AI agents to assume more complex roles, even managerial positions, and to identify generational and role-based differences in AI adoption. The resulting report, titled “AI Agents Are Here — But Don’t Call Them Boss,” confirms a widespread openness to AI collaboration. Three-quarters of respondents indicated comfort teaming up with AI agents, yet a stark contrast emerged when considering direct management: only 30% expressed a willingness to be managed by an AI.
Despite this preference for human leadership, optimism regarding AI’s broader impact in the workplace remains high. A significant 63% of respondents expressed greater interest in working for companies that actively invest in AI agents, suggesting a competitive edge for AI-forward organizations in the talent market. This sentiment is even more pronounced among Gen Z, with 70% indicating that agent adoption would be a key factor in their career choices, underscoring AI’s growing influence on attracting younger talent.
However, this enthusiasm is tempered by a clear demand for transparency and control. A mere 24% of respondents were comfortable with AI agents operating in the background without human awareness, highlighting the critical need for establishing explicit boundaries to build employee trust and drive wider adoption. The study also revealed that direct experience with AI agents significantly boosts confidence; while only 36% of those merely exploring AI agents trusted their organization to use them responsibly, that figure surged to 95% among those with more extensive experience.
Key barriers to AI adoption primarily revolve around ethical and governance concerns, cited by 44% of respondents, encompassing issues such as bias, data privacy, and legal challenges. Security and privacy specifically concerned 39%. Conversely, the anticipated benefits are substantial: 85% foresee improved employee growth and development, 80% expect a better work-life balance, and 79% anticipate enhanced job satisfaction. High expectations are driving AI agent deployment, with 68% of organizations implementing them based on beliefs in reduced workloads (88%), faster innovation (82%), and financial success (71%).
Among the more surprising findings, Workday noted both the 30% willingness to be managed by AI and the pervasive desire for AI boundaries. While human managers are generally preferred, the statistic suggests a significant segment of the workforce might, in certain scenarios, favor a machine over a human. Furthermore, despite an initial inclination among some to use AI tools freely, the research indicated that employees feel more comfortable and optimistic about AI when their organization has established clear guardrails.
This research underscores a crucial path forward for organizations: to truly harness AI’s potential, the focus must shift to building trust through transparency and empowering people. It’s not merely about deploying new technology but thoughtfully designing a future where AI agents enhance human capabilities, fostering a more productive and fulfilling work experience for all. Kathy Pham, Workday’s Vice President of AI, emphasized this point, stating that “optimism in agentic AI is forged through clear boundaries.” These boundaries, she explained, are defined by organizational choices and are essential for responsible deployments, allowing exploration of AI’s full potential without fear of misuse. Leaders must prioritize training that empowers employees to understand when and how to use AI, while technology providers integrate these boundaries directly into their solutions, giving customers the confidence to innovate, particularly in high-stakes areas like HR and finance.
The finance sector, for instance, sees immense potential in agentic AI. With the industry facing a shortage of CPAs and finance professionals, over three-quarters (76%) of finance workers believe AI agents will help bridge this gap, with only 12% expressing concerns about job loss. Top projected uses for AI agents in finance include forecasting and budgeting (32%), financial reporting (32%), and fraud detection (30%).
The report’s insights are based on a survey conducted in May and June of this year, gathering responses from 2,950 full-time decision-makers and software implementation leaders across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.