This weekly update shares important findings about how AI agents and agentic AI are changing the workplace for employees around the globe.

The Adecco Group just released a big study about workers and AI. They asked 37,500 people from 31 different countries about their experiences. The results show that workers are becoming much more comfortable with AI. In fact, 71% of workers now say that nothing holds them back from using AI at work. Compare this to last year when only 19% felt this way. This big change happened in just one year.

Workers now see AI and AI agents as the biggest force changing their work lives. This is even more important to them than worries about money or being able to work from home. When researchers asked about the top trends affecting work, AI agents ranked in the top three. This shows that AI helpers are not just something people talk about - they are becoming real parts of daily work.

Many workers expect to work with AI agents very soon. More than half of all workers (55%) think their employers will add AI agents into their daily workflow within the next 12 months. Another study by ADP Research found that 43% of American workers already use AI frequently at their jobs. These AI tools are changing how people get their work done.

Workers report that AI is changing their jobs right now. About 60% of workers say AI is changing the activities they do at work today. Another 62% say AI has changed what skills they need to do their jobs. More than three-quarters of workers say AI lets them do tasks they could not do before. Almost three-quarters say AI has already changed or will soon change the skills and activities their roles require.

There is an interesting gap between what workers think is happening and what companies see. Workers believe they are saving about two hours every day by using AI tools. However, when companies measure results, they are not seeing these time savings lead to better productivity. One reason might be that one-third of workers use their saved time to do the same boring tasks or even more boring tasks. Companies need to help workers use their extra time in better ways.

The good news is that more workers are becoming "future-ready." The Adecco study found that 37% of workers now fit this category. Future-ready workers are people who are actively learning new skills and adapting to new technology like AI. Last year, only 11% of workers were future-ready. This means the number has more than tripled in just one year. These workers are doing better at their jobs because they have clear goals and chances to keep learning.

Workers who understand how AI fits into their work do much better. When workers understand how their job helps the company succeed, they are more likely to stay. The study found that 99% of workers who feel a strong sense of purpose every day plan to stay at their jobs for at least another year. But only 53% of workers who never feel this purpose plan to stay. This shows how important it is for companies to explain things clearly to their workers.

Not all workers feel positive about AI. While 76% think AI will create new jobs and 70% expect jobs to be redesigned, 23% of workers are afraid they might lose their jobs because of AI. Another study found that 31% of workers who use AI every day strongly agree that they are scared AI will replace their job. Workers need reassurance from their companies about how their roles will change.

Researchers also found something surprising about workers who use AI the most. People who use AI daily report feeling more engaged and motivated at work. However, these same workers also feel less connected to their coworkers. They also report lower productivity and are more likely to be looking for new jobs. In fact, 30% of daily AI users are actively looking for or interviewing for new jobs. This compares to only 13% of workers who have never tried AI.

Frontline workers are also experiencing big changes from AI agents. These are workers in warehouses, factories, stores, and construction sites. They make up about 80% of all workers in the world - roughly 2.7 billion people. For a long time, these workers did not get much help from technology. Now, AI agents are helping frontline workers in many ways. They help with hiring and matching workers to jobs. They help with scheduling shifts fairly. They provide coaching and training in multiple languages. They also give feedback on performance and help keep workers safe.

The key message from all this research is clear. AI agents are becoming a normal part of work for millions of people around the world. Workers are getting more comfortable with AI, but companies need to provide good training and clear communication. When done right, AI can help workers do better work and feel more satisfied with their jobs.