Human-plus-agent model creates fresh complexities

Economic Times

05-08-2025

ETtech 'This is a moment for a human capital renaissance,' said Jacqui Canney, chief people and AI enablement officer at ServiceNow, urging companies to realign their workforce strategies with the realities of AI-driven work.
Integration of AI agents into the workforce could complicate people management and erode company culture if not governed carefully, she said. In the new 'human-plus-agent' model, managers will face fresh complexities, supervising not just people, but digital agents that are increasingly autonomous, Canney noted. Businesses are staring at talent reckoning as they rush to adopt AI. Agentic AI is expected to redefine 10.35 million roles by 2030, according to ServiceNow, a cloud-based workflow automation platform.
Canney said companies cannot navigate this shift in isolation. 'No single company can redirect the workforce alone,' she said. 'Policymakers, corporates, and business leaders must come together. It's a large opportunity, but also a large challenge.'
She acknowledged rising wage gaps due to growing pay premiums for scarce AI skills. 'The competition to attract the best people is very real,' Canney said, adding that ServiceNow receives nearly a million applications for a few hundred roles in India. 'Not every company has the luxury of that kind of talent brand.' She called for stronger governance as AI agents become part of enterprise operations. 'Agentic workforce management must involve governance, orchestration, a control tower, and change management. That's the key to driving productivity and creativity, without breaking your culture.'In her dual role overseeing both people and AI strategy, Canney sees herself as a bridge between technology and talent. 'Leaders must rethink what roles look like when AI is everywhere,' she said. She stressed that CEOs must set the tone. 'What values do you uphold? How are you bringing the workforce along? These choices are now strategic.' AI must be embraced from the top down, she said. 'You have to see AI as a companion, not just a tool, and help teams become comfortable selling it to customers.'Canney said the incoming generation of workers is the most AI-native yet. 'They're building skills many of us don't have, especially in mindset and tech fluency. They should celebrate that in their CVs,' she said. But she also warned that new graduates must sharpen their judgment. 'Critical thinking, decision-making, and the ability to handle complexity concisely are essential in the age of agents.'She advised AI-era professionals to learn how to prompt creatively. 'Don't treat it like a Google search. Use context, ask questions, and challenge AI. This is a creative opportunity.' ServiceNow, which provides digital workflow tools, is embedding GenAI across its HR, IT, finance and customer service offerings. Internally, it claims 50% productivity gains in some functions, and 30% higher customer satisfaction. India now accounts for 40% of its global product engineering. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can Coforge's ambition to lead the IT Industry become a reality?
BlackRock returns, this time with Ambani. Will it be lucky second time?
Amazon is making stealthy moves in healthcare, here's why!
The trader who blew the whistle on Jane Street
Stock Radar: Globus Spirits breaks out from 9-month consolidation; check target & stop loss for long positions
Weekly Top Picks: These stocks scored 10 on 10 on Stock Reports Plus
These large-caps have 'strong buy' & 'buy' recos and an upside potential of more than 25%
Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and upside potential of up to 36% in 1 year