Goldman Sachs CIO says managing AI agents will be 2025’s big challenge

The role of AI in corporate workforces is set to transform significantly in 2025, with Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti predicting AI agents will become managed like regular employees.

Key predictions: Goldman Sachs’ CIO envisions AI models maturing into corporate “workers” that can execute complex tasks and integrate into hybrid human-AI teams.

• Companies will begin “employing” and training AI workers alongside human employees
• Human Resources departments will evolve to manage both human and machine resources
• Organizations may experience AI “layoffs” as older programs are replaced by more capable versions

Industry perspective: Major tech leaders are aligning on the vision of AI as a digital workforce that will require formal management within organizations.

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has described AI agents as a “digital workforce” working alongside employees
• IT departments are expected to transform into HR departments for AI agents
• The shift towards AI application and toolset development is anticipated to accelerate in the coming year

Technical developments: Advanced AI systems are expected to emerge with specialized knowledge comparable to PhD-level expertise in specific industries.

• Retrieval-augmented generation will connect AI models to external resources and databases
• Fine-tuning processes will allow for domain-specific training after initial pre-training
• Integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) with robotics will enable AI to interact with and understand the physical world

Organizational implications: The evolution of AI capabilities will require significant changes in corporate structure and governance.

• Responsible AI will become a key priority for corporate boards
• Development of frontier AI models will likely be limited to well-funded institutions
• Smaller organizations will focus on developing and implementing less resource-intensive AI models

Market dynamics: The AI development landscape is expected to stratify into distinct tiers of capability and accessibility.

• High-end “Formula One” versions of AI will be developed by a select few providers
• Most organizations will work with smaller, more focused AI models
• Capital investment is expected to shift toward application and toolset development

Looking ahead: The integration of AI into corporate structures represents a fundamental shift in how organizations will operate, though questions remain about the practical implementation of AI management systems and the potential impact on human workforce dynamics. Success will likely depend on establishing clear protocols for AI deployment and creating effective frameworks for human-AI collaboration.