AI Agents (get the details) (learn more) are Joining Your Workforce. Your Workforce Isn’t Ready
September 29, 2026 - 5:04 pm
Photo by Guy Couillard, CEO of Baton Simulations
TL;DR
Deloitte’s August 2026 survey found that:
- 43% of leaders expect agentic AI to disrupt workforces within 18 months, rising to 72% over 2-3 years.
- Only 25% are prepared and just 5% consider processes highly ready.
Guy Couillard argues that the old model of training is inadequate for preparing employees for this shift. He suggests that teams need realistic simulation environments where failure is useful to effectively navigate working alongside AI agents.
Executives are making a dangerous mistake by focusing on preparing employees to use new AI tools rather than preparing them to work differently. As AI agents begin to recommend, decide, coordinate, and act, the real transformation occurs within the organization, not within the software.
Deloitte’s survey revealed:
- 43% expect significant disruption within 12 to 18 months.
- Only 25% are prepared or highly prepared.
- 5% consider their processes highly prepared.
This gap in readiness is amplified by AI’s ability to:
- Execute tasks
- Influence decisions
- Trigger processes
- Hand work to other agents
This changes who does what, who decides, and who is accountable. Accountability cannot be outsourced to a machine.
Employees must understand when to accept, challenge, or stop an AI recommendation. Leaders must comprehend the broader implications of decisions made by AI agents across various departments.
The Inadequacy of Traditional Training
Couillard believes the old model of training is insufficient because:
- A course can explain what an AI tool does but cannot recreate the pressure of deciding whether to trust it.
- People need to experience the new way of working in a team, not as individuals.
Simulation as a Solution
Simulation offers:
- Realistic, risk-free environments
- Competition that changes learning experiences
- Opportunities for people to test, adapt, remember, and learn
- Insights for leaders on team overtrust, unnecessary hesitation, or downstream impacts
Get this right, and the upside is substantial:
- Faster and better decision-makers
- Departments working more effectively