Can employees learn to trust an AI boss?

Good morning. AI agents are promoted as the future of work, but while employees adapt to the idea, most are not comfortable running for a digital boss.
More than 80% of organizations expand their use of AI agents, according to a new makeshift report 500 Company Workday (a daily CFO sponsor). Although 75% of workers are comfortable collaborating with AI agents, only 30% are comfortable being managed by one. Research reveals that employees are happy to use AI agents as tools, but do not consider them as decision -makers to which they must answer.
Almost half (48%) of respondents fear that AI agents increase the pressure on employees to work more quickly. The results are based on a survey of 2,950 full -time decision -makers and leaders in the implementation of software in North America, APAC and EMEA.
Confidence seems to be the elephant in the room. More than 25% of respondents think that AI agents are over-type.
“Building confidence means being intentional in the way AI is used and keeping people at the center of each decision,” said Kathy Pham, AI vice-president in Workday.
Research has revealed that confidence in agents increases with greater use: only 36% of those who simply explore AI agents trust their organizations to use them in a responsible manner, against 95% among the most in -depth along the adoption curve.
The workday’s report highlights the importance of maintaining human responsibility at the center of AI decision -making. During the Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore conference last month, Sapna Chadha, vice-president for the border of Southeast Asia and South Asia in Google, said agent platforms should clearly communicate shares and request user approval at the main decision points.
“You wouldn’t want to have a system that can do it completely without human in the loop,” said Chadha.
Workday’s research has also revealed that with the industry facing a shortage of CPA and finance professionals, 76% of financial workers believe that AI agents will help to fill the gap, and only 12% are concerned about job loss. The main uses of AI agents in finance include forecasting and budgeting (32%), financial reports (32%) and fraud detection (30%). Gen Z is particularly optimistic – 70% are interested in working for companies that invest in AI agents.
The report recommends the following for managers: refining performance by human ingenuity, prioritizing tools and training, and design roles that unlock, not just productivity.
Will employees never be comfortable calling an agent from their boss? In my opinion, with regard to AI, never say never.
Have a good weekend.
Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com
Classification
Fortune power movages 500
Aunoy Banerjee was appointed executive and financial director of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (n ° 341), from October 24. As previously announced, current director John Woods will leave the bank on August 15. Chris Emerson, executive vice-president and business planning and business planning, will serve as a financial director during the provisional period. Banerjee joins the citizens of Barclays, where he is currently financial director of Barclays Bank Plc. Before Barclays, Banerjee held finance and transformation positions at State Street over eight years, more recently as responsible for third -party investments and management and president of State Street India. He was also director of the chef transformation. Banerjee previously spent 11 years at Citi in several roles, including a CFO of the commercial unit for capital markets and securities services.
Every Friday morning, the Weekly Fortune 500 column moves the column follows Fortune 500 suite C-suite suite—See the most recent edition.
More notable movements this week:
Jonathan Hugh was appointed financial director of Alt5 Sigma Corporation (Nasdaq: Alts), a Fintech and Digital Asset Treasury Company. Hugh brings more than 25 years of experience. He was previously a financial director of digital asset companies GSR International LTD, a global market, and Zodia Pustody LTD, a regulated institutional goalkeeper.
Matt Puckett was named CFO of Ibotta, Inc. (NYSE: IBTA), a network of digital promotions, from August 25. More recently, Puckett has been CFO of VF Corporation, a world leader in clothing and brand lifestyle shoes. During his 23 -year -old mandate in VF, he held several positions as an operating director, including an international four -year assignment in Switzerland supervising finances across Europe and Asia. Puckett will replace Valarie Sheppard, which has been the interim CFO of Ibotta since March 14.
Julie A. Beck Was appointed vice-director, financial director and treasurer of MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA), a supplier of advanced security products, from August 18. Beck has recently been vice-president director and financial director of Terex Corp., a global manufacturer of industrial equipment. Before that, it was please and CFO for Nova Chemicals, Inc., producer of petrochemicals. Beck was also a global vice-president of the supply chain, operational excellence and the quality of Joy Global, Inc.
Severe
US employers are planning to increase the median health costs by 10% for 2026, according to a report published by the International Foundation for Employees’ Soft -based regimes.
Employers have cited four main factors contributing to the expected increase in medical plan costs for 2026: catastrophic complaints (compared to 20% last year); Specialized and expensive prescription drugs (compared to 20% last year); Use due to chronic health problems (compared to 16% last year); and the costs of medical providers (against 18% last year).
“Employers have indicated that cost sharing, diet and purchase / supplier sharing initiatives will be the most impactful techniques to manage costs,” said Julie Stich, vice-president of the International Foundation content, in a statement.
Go further
Here are four Fortune The weekend can be read:
“Amazon dreamed of cracking Walmart locking on the grocery store for decades, with limited success. A massive expansion of purchases the same day could change” by Jason del Rey
“Tapestry takes a depreciation of $ 855 million on Kate Spade – and reminds us how risky mergers and acquisitions are in the fashion world” by Phil Wahba
“The IKEA CEO started his career as a store director – he remembers working at 5 am in the loading area and eating hot dogs with the founder” of Emma Burleigh
Heard
“We just understood a number that we thought we were enough money – to be able to buy a house and things like that – then we dubbed it, and we gave the rest.”
—Brian O’Kelley said Fortune in an interview. O’Kelley has undergone less than $ 100 million after sold her start -up applaid of $ 1.6 billion in AT&T – and gave the rest to a charitable work.
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