Companies are increasingly investing in AI-powered agents, indicating a shift in customer interactions toward chatbot-based communication. In October, Walmart announced a partnership with OpenAI, allowing customers to find and purchase items directly through ChatGPT. Walmart also introduced an AI agent in its app to assist shoppers with product recommendations. According to CEO Doug McMillon, AI will be a significant growth driver for the retailer’s e-commerce sector.
In addition to improving customer experiences, AI agents are being utilized to enhance workforce productivity. Calix, a telecommunications software provider, launched AI agents to aid its broadband service provider customers in various tasks, including marketing and customer service. CEO Michael Weening emphasized the need for companies to manage concerns about AI potentially leading to job losses while highlighting the benefits of AI as a tool for productivity.
AI has been cited as a factor in over 55,000 layoffs in the U.S. in 2025, affecting major employers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce. A poll conducted by Mercer found that 40% of employees are worried about job loss due to AI, an increase from 28% in 2024. Despite these concerns, Weening suggested that AI should be viewed as a collaborative tool rather than a threat to job security.
Calix reported that it has developed over 700 employee-generated AI agents and identified 40 workflows that could greatly benefit from AI integration. The company aims to strike a balance between the speed of AI adoption and risk management, particularly concerning data protection.
Even as the integration of AI progresses, experts like Everest Group CEO Jimit Arora caution that the current phase is “pre-agentic,” lacking true agency in AI agents. Significant advancements are anticipated by 2026, particularly in software development and customer experience sectors.
To build confidence in AI systems, Bruno Guicardi of CI&T advocated for a gradual increase in AI autonomy, starting with supervised responses. This approach aims to earn trust in AI as a reliable contributor within the workforce.
The overall sentiment surrounding AI remains mixed, with many companies eager to improve productivity through agentic AI while grappling with the implications for job security and workforce dynamics.
Source: Reported based on publicly available information from www.cnbc.com.
