KPMG survey finds business leaders expect AI agents to reshape hiring and job structures
Canadian business leaders are increasingly preparing for workplaces where AI agents operate alongside employees, according to new research from KPMG Canada that points to a major shift in hiring, workforce planning and day-to-day operations.
The survey of 306 Canadian executives found that companies are rapidly adopting agentic AI systems as organizations look to improve efficiency and redesign how work is completed. KPMG described agentic AI as systems capable of operating independently with minimal human oversight.
More than three-quarters of respondents, or 77%, said they are already using AI agents for tasks including knowledge sharing between departments. Another 66% said their organizations are moving toward a fully integrated workforce in which humans and AI agents work together.
“As organizations move quickly to scale AI agents, we're seeing a generational shift in how work gets done. Business leaders are starting to design roles, teams and workflows on the assumption that humans and agents will work together, with agents taking on work such as research and coordination, and people focusing on judgement, decision-making and accountability,” said Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation at KPMG Canada.
“This change has implications for everything from operating models to governance and risk management, as well as commercial and workforce planning considerations. The organizations making progress are the ones treating agents as more than productivity tools and actively reshaping how work is structured.”
Recruitment impact
Nearly six in 10 respondents said AI agents have changed the way their organizations hire entry-level workers, while 63% said the technology has altered hiring for experienced professionals.
Executives also expect AI to influence employee evaluations and advancement decisions. About 39% said performance reviews and job requirements will increasingly include AI collaboration skills, while the same percentage said employers will place greater emphasis on human capabilities such as critical thinking and contextual awareness. Another 36% expect promotion criteria to prioritize AI literacy and the ability to effectively delegate work to AI agents.
The survey also found that business leaders foresee AI agents taking on larger operational roles over the next several years. Roughly 39% expect agents to lead project management functions, while 31% believe AI systems will work alongside employees as peers to complete assignments.
KPMG’s research showed organizations are placing increasing value on human-focused skills as AI adoption accelerates. More than half of respondents said they expect AI to reach human-level reasoning within three to five years. As a result, employers are emphasizing creative thinking, problem-solving and adaptability when recruiting entry-level talent.
“We're moving into a phase where AI isn't just supporting work in the background but is now actively shaping how organizations think about talent. That's changing the way employers assess people, with more weight being placed on how individuals apply judgment, think critically and operate in environments where AI is embedded into day-to-day work,” said Lewis Curley, Partner in the People and Change practice at KPMG Canada.
“At the same time, it reinforces the importance of human skills. According to our survey data, 65 per cent of business leaders say social and interpersonal capabilities now matter more than technical expertise, which highlights that success will come from how effectively people combine those strengths with AI.”
Despite growing adoption, many Canadian companies continue to struggle to generate measurable financial returns from AI investments. While 70% of respondents said AI is delivering meaningful business value, only 3% reported measurable returns on investment.
Skills gap
Employee resistance is also proving to be a challenge, with 31% of Canadian workers showing reluctance toward agentic AI compared with 16% globally.
More than half of respondents cited trust and ethical concerns as the primary reason for hesitation, while nearly 40% pointed to worries about job security or limited confidence in using AI tools.
“When organizations are looking at upskilling their workforce, they must have a clear picture of how their people can use AI agents in ways that deliver meaningful impact on the business,” said Mr. Curley.
“A skilled employee can build an agent to automate tasks and get work done faster, but if it's not being used on work that produces results, companies won't see the returns they're looking for.”
KPMG said leading organizations are increasingly creating formal guidelines around AI use, establishing sandbox environments for employees to test the technology and developing role-specific frameworks for collaboration between humans and AI agents.
“The technology isn't the problem, it's whether the workforce is equipped and confident enough to use it effectively. When people don't understand how to work alongside these tools or don't trust them, adoption stalls, and so does the return on investment,” Mr. Curley said.
“Agentic AI is changing how we work, and in this new environment all employees become managers, responsible for overseeing and delegating work to agents. The organizations getting ahead are investing just as much in developing their workforce's management abilities as in their AI literacy skills. Everyone now needs to know how to allocate work, assess quality and give effective feedback, because that's what ultimately unlocks value.”
