TLDR: A recent Workday study reveals that New Zealand organizations are rapidly adopting AI agents, with 43% already implementing them across their operations. Despite this swift deployment, employees strongly advocate for robust human oversight and ethical frameworks. While 75% of workers are comfortable collaborating with AI, only 30% are at ease with AI management, highlighting a clear preference for human decision-making, especially in critical areas like finance and compliance.
New research from Workday’s global study, titled ‘AI Agents Are Here – But Don’t Call Them Boss,’ indicates a significant surge in the deployment of artificial intelligence agents within New Zealand workplaces. The study, which includes specific analysis for New Zealand, highlights a dual trend: rapid AI adoption coupled with a strong demand from employees for continued human oversight and stringent ethical governance.
The rollout of AI agents is progressing quickly across New Zealand organizations, moving beyond initial trial phases. Data shows that a substantial 43% of organizations are currently implementing AI agents across their entire operations. An additional 27% are conducting pilot projects on a smaller scale, and another 27% are in early production stages, demonstrating robust momentum towards widespread AI integration. Only a mere 1% of organizations remain in the early exploratory phase, underscoring the accelerated pace of adoption.
This integration is particularly pronounced within financial functions. Currently, 56% of New Zealand organizations are leveraging AI agents to support financial reporting, with 44% anticipating further scaling of these solutions within the next three years. High-impact finance areas are identified as primary beneficiaries, with 61% favoring financial reporting and 39% prioritizing forecasting and budgeting as the top applications for AI agents. Furthermore, 61% of organizations report at least moderate progress in accounting and financial planning facilitated by these technologies.
Despite the rapid adoption, employee sentiment emphasizes the need for human involvement. The study reveals that while 75% of workers internationally are comfortable collaborating with AI agents, a significantly lower 30% are at ease with the prospect of being managed by one. This sentiment extends to decision-making, as only 31% of employees trust AI agents to make work-related decisions on their behalf. Moreover, only 14% believe AI will surpass human intelligence within the next five years, reflecting a persistent skepticism regarding full AI autonomy in the workplace.
New Zealand leaders are largely optimistic about the financial returns from their AI investments. The report indicates that 86% of organizations expect AI agents to deliver a return on investment within 24 months of adoption. Of these, half anticipate ROI within 13-24 months, and a notable 36% expect returns in as little as 7-12 months. This pragmatic strategy aims to accelerate adoption and amplify the operational impact of AI technologies across core functions.
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While optimism about AI’s potential is high—with 95% of New Zealand respondents believing AI agents will boost productivity and 84% anticipating rapid innovation—concerns about ethics, security, and governance persist. A majority, 57%, explicitly state they trust humans more than AI to make fair and unbiased decisions, particularly in sensitive areas like financial and compliance matters. This highlights a clear preference for human oversight in high-stakes scenarios, ensuring that as AI gains momentum, it does so under careful human guidance.
