Sep 16, 2025

Your New AI Colleagues Many companies have already seen how AI assistants can impact their workflows. For instance, a study on GitHub Copilot, an AI that assists programmers, found that developers using the tool completed tasks 55% faster than developers not using the tool. However, when the AI isn't just an assistant but the primary operator, the scope of the transformation could grow exponentially. One of the most prominent recent examples is Devin, an AI agent from the startup Cognition AI, which has been marketed as the " first AI software engineer ." Unlike a programming assistant that suggests code snippets, Devin operates as an autonomous agent. It is given its own self-contained computing environment, allowing it to mirror the complete workflow of a human developer. However, Devin's adoption has triggered concerns about its potential to automate the core tasks of human software developers. This raises the stakes from AI being a helpful tool to AI becoming a digital employee. While its real-world capabilities are still under scrutiny , its adoption by companies like Goldman Sachs represents a clear move toward AI that can independently manage and execute complex, project-based work. The Productivity Boom And The Bellwether The reception to this technology in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street could be a bellwether for the next decade of economic growth. Stakeholders are watching to see if this leap in AI capability offers the productivity jump needed to redefine industries. Right now, many companies are in the fact-finding stage, with 79% of senior executives responding to a PwC survey saying their companies are adopting AI agents. However, though incredibly promising, companies are facing challenges with adoption from high costs as well as the need for complex data management and technological infrastructure, according to Booz Allen research. Regardless, the potential use cases are fascinating, as AI's scope expands from low-stakes chores to mission-critical operations across industries, from parsing medical results in healthcare to automating compliance and managing portfolios in fintech. The Future Is Collaboration This job automation revolution, of course, raises valid concerns about job displacement. But history shows that technological revolutions tend to transform roles rather than simply eliminate them. The steam engine didn't end work—it created new industries and roles for mechanics, engineers and factory managers. The internet didn't kill office jobs—it created entirely new categories like digital marketers, web developers and social media managers. AI adoption is already creating a host of new roles , as Salesforce notes, from AI ethicist to AI conversation designer. As AI agents take over repetitive, process-driven tasks, the most valuable skills in this new era will be those that an AI can't easily replicate: strategic oversight, ethical judgment and creative leadership. A report from McKinsey on the future of work found that as AI automates routine cognitive tasks, the demand for higher-level skills could surge. The study predicts an increase in the need for creativity and critical thinking. This is because, as AI handles the "what," humans will be needed to ask "why" and "what if." The job of the future isn't to compete with AI's speed but to direct its power with human wisdom and ingenuity. The scale of this shift is difficult to overstate. A report from Goldman Sachs suggests generative AI could impact the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs globally. But that same report projects it could also increase annual global GDP by 7%, or $7 trillion. The businesses that thrive will be the ones that master this new partnership of AI-human collaboration, investing in technology while fostering a culture of lifelong learning. The agentive leap is here. The new workforce is clocking in. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?