Managing AI agents will be key skill by 2031: KPMG
What's the story
A recent report by KPMG has revealed that 92% of tech executives believe managing artificial intelligence (AI) agents will be a key skill in the next five years. The study, which surveyed 2,500 tech leaders across 27 countries, highlights the rapid rise of agentic AI and its impact on corporate decision-making. It also notes that most organizations are already investing in integrating this technology into their operations.
Workforce transformation
Shift in team structures
The KPMG report notes that 88% of organizations are investing in agentic AI. This trend is expected to change team structures dramatically by 2028. By 2027, digital assistants will make up 36% of core technology teams, up from 28% in 2025. Zack Kass, global AI advisor and former head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI, emphasized this shift by saying, "The future will not be defined by what machines can do. It will be defined by what we want machines to do."
Strategy shift
Need for mastering new systems
To improve human-AI collaboration and adaptability, Kass suggests moving toward smaller teams and flatter structures. "Play smaller, and you can be more forward-looking," he said. The KPMG report also emphasizes that the true value of agentic AI comes when we look beyond individual productivity to a larger transformation. Umesh Sachdev, co-founder and CEO of Uniphore, stressed the competitive need for mastering these new systems in his statement about companies effectively using AI agents likely leaving their peers behind.
Partnership expansion
Growing dependence on external experts
To manage the integration of agentic AI, 90% of tech executives plan to grow and strengthen their partnerships with external experts. However, this growing dependence on third-party collaborators raises major security, governance, and data protection concerns. Noelle Russell, an AI solutions architect and strategic advisor, recommended a selective approach to building internal capabilities while leveraging external support. "Pick the areas that you want to keep in-house for domain expertise," she said.
Future challenges
Preparing for the next wave of technology
The KPMG report highlights that organizations will have to deal with long-term challenges from emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial general intelligence. Security remains a major concern, with 41% of executives fearing they are unprepared for quantum-related encryption threats. Guy Holland, Global Leader of the CIO Center of Excellence at KPMG International, said we are on the cusp of an "Intelligence Age" defined by rapid innovation and uncertainty, where technology is reshaping business and society.