EY Study Shows Strong Agentic AI Interest but Weak Organizational Strategy

Employees are ready and eager to adopt agentic AI, but organizations are fumbling the fundamentals of strategy, training and communication, according to new research from Ernst & Young LLP. The EY Agentic AI in the Workplace Survey reveals a paradox: while agentic AI optimism is high, confusion and anxiety threaten to stall this transformative period in the future of work. The research also uncovered how generational differences are creating a wide managerial divide on how to lead these new hybrid human-AI teams.

The survey, which polled more than 1,100 desk workers across six industries at companies with $1B+ in revenue in the U.S., found that 84% of employees are eager to embrace agentic AI in their roles, anticipating positive impacts on productivity, efficiency and work experience. Yet, more than half (56%) simultaneously worry about their own job security working alongside AI agents, and 51% worry that agentic AI will make their job obsolete.

This excitement-anxiety contradiction is compounded by a lack of guidance from leadership, and that tension is even sharper among non-people managers, 65% of whom worry about their own job security working alongside agentic AI compared to 48% of people managers. Amid a lack of adequate training, 85% of desk workers are learning about how to work alongside AI agents outside of work, and 83% say most of what they know about working with agentic AI is self-taught.

"Agentic AI moves us beyond simple prompts to autonomous, multi-step tasks, but our data reveals a critical threat: poor communication breeds operational uncertainty and inertia," says Dan Diasio, EY Global Consulting AI Leader. "Organizations must articulate their complete AI roadmap, covering everything from ethical guardrails to comprehensive training, to harness employee enthusiasm and drive performance. When leaders are transparent, employees lean in and performance follows."

The human readiness gap: enthusiasm meets an overwhelmed workforce

Agentic AI is already delivering tangible value, with 86% of employees reporting that working with AI agents has had a positive impact on their team's productivity. This proven success breeds confidence across the workforce: a vast majority (90%) of desk workers already using agentic AI are confident in their abilities to use AI agents today.

Despite these real-world gains, EY US research highlights persistent internal obstacles:

• Skills gap anxiety: Despite widespread enthusiasm, 54% of employees feel like they are falling behind their peers in agentic AI use at work. This feeling of being outpaced is amplified among non-people managers, where 61% feel they are falling behind their peers, compared to 48% of people managers.
• Information influx: Most desk workers feel overwhelmed by the constant influx of new agentic AI information (61%). Those who use agentic AI are overwhelmed by the amount of new agentic AI tools being introduced at their workplace (64%).
• Managerial confidence crisis: Lack of clarity from top leaders is impacting workers of all levels, with 53% of people managers concerned they may not be good at supervising AI-augmented teams, and 82% believing managing AI agents will make their experience as a people manager more challenging. Additionally, 63% of non-people managers are hesitant to pursue people manager roles due to concerns about managing AI-augmented teams.

"Our data reinforces that while the workforce is demonstrably ready for innovation-fueled change, this valuable AI enthusiasm is threatened by underlying anxieties," says Kim Billeter, EY Global People Consulting Leader. "We are at a critical juncture where leaders must provide structured and comprehensive training. This isn't just a technology rollout; it's a human transformation that requires intentional support to redefine the partnership between people and AI."