Prepare for auto-onboarding and more as IT departments become HR teams for enterprise AI

Agentic AI is transforming enterprise systems by evolving from simple assistants to becoming the foundation of microservices architecture. This shift is creating a new paradigm where IT departments will function like HR teams for AI agents—recruiting, onboarding, and managing these digital workers alongside human employees. This development represents a fundamental restructuring of how enterprises approach problem-solving and workflow management.

The big picture: AI agents are becoming the power behind enterprise microservices, functioning as independent components that can be assembled into complex workflows rather than existing as monolithic applications.

• “Agentic AI is the next step in breaking apart and solving problems,” explained Bryan Thompson, HPE’s vice president for GreenLake product management, highlighting the shift toward specialized microservice-like approaches.
• This architectural approach resembles the evolution of software development from monolithic systems to flexible microservices, but with significantly more autonomy and capability.

Key details: Enterprise workflows can be stitched together using agentic AI, creating modular, optimized systems that deliver faster results.

• Fred Devoir, Nvidia‘s global head of solution architecture for telco, described how they “take componentry and put it together into a RESTful architecture” and “bring together those microservices into blueprints” for quicker time to value.
• Unlike traditional automation tools, these AI agents can both ideate and execute independently within their defined parameters.

Organizational implications: IT departments are transitioning to function as “human resources” teams for AI agents, mirroring how HR manages human capital.

• This parallel structure creates new responsibilities for acquiring, onboarding, and guiding AI-powered assistants throughout their lifecycle within the organization.
• The shift requires new frameworks for performance evaluation, capability assessment, and integration of AI agents into existing team structures.

Why this matters: Experts predict 2025 could mark the breakthrough year for enterprise AI agent adoption, despite significant challenges ahead.

• Organizations face hurdles in data management, establishing trustworthiness of AI systems, and navigating cultural shifts required to embrace this new paradigm.
• The potential for unprecedented operational efficiency and problem-solving capability is driving continued investment despite these obstacles.