Key Findings

  • More than a quarter (27%) of business leaders believe that agentic AI tools, designed to perform job functions with minimal human intervention, are "overhyped," as the technology rapidly gains public attention, according to recent findings from Workday.
  • The research reveals a complex attitude toward the technology in the workplace as more organizations begin experimenting with it. While three-quarters of respondents are open to working alongside AI agents, only 30% feel comfortable being managed by them. When it comes to using AI agents for critical financial decisions, comfort levels drop significantly, with only four in ten respondents accepting this use case.
  • "Many people view AI as a transformative force for societal progress, but strong skepticism and questioning persist, ranging from job displacement to existential threats," the report states.

Deeper Insights

The research comes as Gartner predicts that by the end of 2027, more than 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled due to rising costs, unclear business value, or insufficient risk controls.

"Currently, most agentic AI projects are in early experimentation or proof-of-concept stages, driven primarily by hype and often misapplied," said Anushree Verma, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, in a statement in June. "This can cause organizations to overlook the real costs and complexities of deploying AI agents at scale, hindering projects from reaching production."

Many vendors are fueling the hype through 'agent washing'—repackaging existing products such as AI assistants, robotic process automation, and chatbots 'without substantive agentic capabilities,' Gartner said.

Workday, one of a growing number of enterprise software companies offering AI agents, says its research underscores that even as the technology becomes more prevalent in the workplace, people still want clear boundaries set on its use.

"We are entering a new era of work where AI can be a great partner," said Kathy Pham, Vice President of AI at Workday, in a statement. "Building trust means being intentional about using AI and keeping people at the center of every decision."

Workday's research shows widespread interest in AI agents, with 82% of organizations planning to expand their use of the technology. More than half (56%) of respondents expect agentic AI to deliver a return on investment within 12 months.

According to the research, key barriers to adoption include concerns related to bias, data privacy, legal issues, and misuse of the technology.

"As organizations move from using agents in data-intensive areas such as IT and skills development, and even specific HR functions like forecasting and scheduling, the real challenge will be extending applications to more sensitive domains involving human judgment, financial decisions, and legal complexities," the report states.

The research, conducted by Hanover Research on behalf of Workday in May and June, is based on a global survey of 2,950 decision-makers and software implementation leaders.