Not only are team dynamics changing with the introduction of agentic AI, but our mental models for how we perceive agents are evolving as well. Some AI agents are progressing from simple assistants to direct team collaborators. 82% of leaders believe that AI agents will be viewed as valued contributors and teammates over the next year1. These teammates can help teams work together more effectively, such as by democratizing expertise and reducing functional boundaries that may have impeded work in the past2.
In our research, AI agents were seen as catalysts for team potential. With redesigned team structures and processes on the horizon, the anticipation of their impact is high. 75% of employees believe teams that embrace AI agents will have a competitive advantage and 71% believe AI agents could help their team achieve goals they couldn’t before.
Chapter 4 of our 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report dives into human-AI teaming and what it might mean for the future of workplace teams. This chapter explores the concept of agents as teammates and what may be required to prepare for that future state to achieve amplified impact at the team-level.
More than 2 in 3 employees think their team would be better off if they worked with one or more AI agents, so the value proposition is becoming clearer as use cases of agentic AI are more widespread. And it’s not just having agents on your team, but also the idea of them as direct reports. 70% of employees said they were excited to manage a team of agents.
But are teams ready for this change? Only 1 in 6 leaders said they have fully established a new talent strategy that upskills employees to be agent bosses. And readiness for agentic AI integration is evolving beyond individual needs to team-level needs.
Preparing teams to effectively integrate agents into their workflows involves including them in the process of redesigning their ways of working. They need to be open to changing their routines and deepen their understanding of which tasks are not only suited to agentic AI, but also which ones they trust to delegate to agents. And when considering the activities agents might support, it's just as important to push beyond the tasks themselves to focus on the outcomes teams are truly aiming for with agent adoption.
Supporting team readiness helps teams more easily see the impact that agents can have, not only on improved team processes, but also team outcomes. We found that about 45% of the impact that teams get from using agentic AI can be traced back to how ready the team is to work with AI agents and how well they collaborate once they are introduced.
Supporting employees on their journey to human–agent collaboration isn’t just about new tools; it’s about creating the right conditions for success. That means upskilling employees to not just ask questions of agents but to collaborate with them, preparing teams for workflow changes, and fostering a safe space to experiment and learn. Start by assessing your team’s readiness and building a plan that combines skills, structure, and psychological safety, because when people feel equipped and supported, they see greater impact of adopting agents.
Want to explore the full story?
Download the PDF – 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
Catch up on the individual chapters from this report:
Download the PDF - Chapter 1: Ready for Agents
Download the PDF - Chapter 2: The Multiplier Effect
Download the PDF - Chapter 3: Trust 360
Download the PDF - Chapter 4: Beyond Tools
The Agentic Teaming & Trust Study was conducted by the Microsoft People Science team utilizing an Online Panel Vendor, commissioned by Microsoft, with 1,800 full-time employees across nine markets between June 11, 2025 and July 7, 2025. This survey was 12 minutes in length and conducted online. Global results have been aggregated across all responses to provide a total or average. Each sample was representative of business leaders across regions, ages, and industries (i.e., Construction, Financial & Professional Services, Retail, Food, & Beverage, Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Technology, Transportation, Travel, & Hospitality). Each sample included specific parameters on company size (i.e., organizations with 1,000+ employees) and job level (i.e., business leaders/business decision makers, those in mid- to upper job levels such as C-level executive, VP or director, Manager). The overall sampling error rate is 2.31 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. Markets surveyed include Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the United States. Findings represent aggregated responses and may not reflect all organizations or industries.
References
Microsoft