CEOs today will be the last to manage all human workforces as AI agents get to work
Historically CEOs have resided over purely human workforces, but as AI Agents come into the workforce they might have to manage those as well.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2025) 'CEOs today will be the last to manage all human workforces as AI agents get to work', 311 Institute, 24 February. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/ceos-today-will-be-the-last-to-manage-all-human-workforces-as-ai-agents-get-to-work/ (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
Today's CEOs are likely the last who will "manage a workforce of only human beings," Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told Axios' Ina Fried in Davos. The rise of Generative AI agents which Benioff also described as "limitless digital labor" is among the next wave of advancements for the tech.
"We are really moving into a world now of managing humans and agents together," he said, highlighting his own company's Agentforce product which was launched in September along with its own sandbox where Salesforce’s own customers can test their agents, with Benioff applauding the technology at the time as "AI as it was meant to be."
"Because I'm using Agentforce I just have that much more productivity," he said, highlighting the increased ability of his Agentforce to resolve support inquiries, before adding that he's thinking of ways to "redeploy" support agents in sales positions because those employees "don't have as much to do because Agentforce is so productive for them."
So, while I’ve talked about the unlimited human workforce many times before, as Artificial Intelligence (AI) automates jobs, tasks, and skills, such as coding and graphic design, and then democratises them for everyone this new “limitless” workforce adds a very interesting new wrinkle. It also begs questions such as: what happens when labour and the skills you and your business need are abundant, and what is the impact of that on company revenues and global GDP? As well as many other important questions.
What this means for your organisation
Leadership roles are changing.
Managing humans and agents together will be a core skill. Today's leaders must learn it fast. Build management training for mixed teams.
Redeployment beats redundancy.
Benioff plans to move support staff into sales as agents take over queries. People can shift to higher value work. Plan redeployment paths before roles shrink.
Abundant labour changes economics.
When skills become abundant, value shifts elsewhere. Revenue, pricing and growth models may change. Model what limitless digital labour means for your business.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- How will we manage teams of people and AI agents together?
- Where can we redeploy staff whose tasks agents take over?
- What happens to our business model if skills become abundant?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Historically CEOs have resided over purely human workforces, but as AI Agents come into the workforce they might have to manage those as well.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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