As agents increasingly join the workforce, the report identifies the rise of the "agent boss": someone who builds, delegates to, and manages agents to amplify their impact and take control of their career in the age of AI.

From the boardroom to the frontline, every worker will need to think like the CEO of an agent-powered startup. For those ready to embrace this role, AI will be a career accelerator.

The report identifies a gap between leaders and employees on the "agent boss mindset" across seven indicators, with leaders consistently ahead:

Bridging this gap will require more than access to AI tools; it will require training, oversight, and a new way of working that leaders must help shape.

Leaders expect their teams will be engaged in AI-related activities within five years:

Additionally, the report notes:

• 28% of managers are considering hiring AI workforce managers to lead hybrid teams of people and agents
• 32% plan to hire AI agent specialists to design, develop, and optimize agents within the next 12-18 months
• 83% of leaders say AI will enable employees to take on more complex and strategic work earlier in their careers

The report emphasizes that preparing for what's next is no longer optional. Employees must build AI skills, and companies must support them with the right tools and training.

This moment calls for:

• Honest conversations about the changing nature of work
• Intentional communication about how roles will evolve
• Real investment in reskilling employees for the AI era

The companies that invest now won't just keep up—they'll shape what comes next.