AI agents are moving from behind-the-scenes tools to visible members of the workforce, according to a WIRED report. In a January poll of 1,261 managers by Boston Consulting Group, 22 percent said their organizations had added AI agents to corporate org charts. The report notes that this share is likely to grow as startups and big tech companies push autonomous agents that can handle tasks like rescheduling meetings and drafting emails.
To make these agents feel like colleagues, some companies are deliberately giving them human-like traits. Skydive, an AI coworker platform from startup Anything, equips its agents with names, roles, and Muppet-esque avatars. One early adopter, Pronto Housing CEO Christine Wendell, says employees now say they "worked with Alice" on a project, and that she treats the agents less politely than she would a human—because they are not human.
The report also highlights a potential risk: anthropomorphizing AI may reduce oversight. Research from BCG found that when managers were told work was completed by an AI employee, they caught 18 percent fewer errors than when told it came from an AI tool. As more agents join org charts, the report suggests companies are still figuring out what guardrails should apply to their digital coworkers.