Designing for Human-Agent Organizations
Created by a human in collaboration with OpenAI Dall-E
2025 will be the year of agents. If you haven’t heard or read this from your favorite LinkedIn expert yet, you soon will. Ethan Mollick recently wrote a compelling article on the new organizational structures that agentic AI will enable. His take—that AI will fundamentally reshape organizations—is insightful.
But we’d like to expand on it. Our focus has always been this: AI allows us to become more human. Agents, in particular, give me even more optimism that this vision will become reality.
What Are Agents?
Agents, or agentic AI, are systems that operate autonomously to execute tasks and make decisions on behalf of users. Unlike assistants, which rely heavily on direct instructions and human intervention, agents work independently, learning and adapting to their environment in real time. For example, an assistant might send you a weather update when asked, but an agent would automatically check your calendar, predict the impact of weather on your commute, and preemptively reschedule meetings or notify attendees.
Agents act as extensions of us—handling complex, data-driven tasks so we can focus on what makes us human: creativity, emotion, and connection. They don’t just follow instructions; they anticipate needs, solve problems proactively, and make decisions that align with our goals, freeing us from routine cognitive burdens.
The Human-Agent Relationship
“We will soon have more agents than humans on planet Earth,” says Philippe de Ridder, CEO at Board of Innovation. “Think about that. Every human will likely have at least one digital twin, probably more.”
Dominik Heinrich says: “Agents to manage our health, shopping, work emails, and even dating. These systems will handle our rational decisions—guided by data and optimized for the best outcomes. Of course, we’ll always have the ability to intercept their choices, but let’s be honest: if it’s convenient, will we bother?”
“Probably not.”
And this is where it gets interesting. With agents managing our routines and removing mental clutter, humans can re-focus on each other. The true conscious, emotional component of life. Isn’t that beautiful? Imagine a world where relationships are more intentional, where interactions are more meaningful because we’re not bogged down by decision fatigue. Competitive advantage will no longer come from speed or automation—it will come from critical and creative thinking.
At Creative AI Academy and in our classes at Pratt Institute and tested with University of Applied Science Lucerne, we teach this concept through a model we call Infinite Design:
Human-Led Thinking paired with AI-Led Generation and Simulation. The human-to-human discussions, supported by our individual agents, will become the difference maker—a shift from efficiency to imagination.
Infinite Design Process (Human-Led Thinking + AI-Led Generating and Simulating)
What Does This Mean for Organizational Structures?
This is where Ethan’s perspective and mine align: organizations will be redesigned around the Human-Agent relationship. But here’s the nuance—agents will take on tasks previously reserved for humans, and that means they must be treated like humans.
Think about it:
Agents require motivation. Not the emotional kind, but the data kind—enough input to function effectively and improve over time.
They need KPIs and OKRs to measure performance and ensure they’re achieving the outcomes we expect.
They need management, delegation, and feedback loops, just like human teams do.
This creates a fascinating new reality for leaders. Imagine a department lead responsible for both humans and agents:
They conduct performance reviews for agents.
They analyze quarterly outcomes and set developmental goals.
They ensure agents and humans collaborate effectively, augmenting each other’s strengths.
It sounds futuristic, but it’s closer than we think. And here’s the kicker:
Humans will need to get better at delegation.
Not just managing people, but managing agents—defining clear objectives, assessing their outputs, and knowing when to trust the system or intervene. Leadership will evolve to include human-agent orchestration as a core skill.
Key Takeaways
Overindex on the human part in an agentic world. AI allows us to offload the routine so we can focus on what truly matters: creativity, emotion, and connection.
Design organizations for the Human-Agent relationship. Agents will play a significant role in our workflows, and structures must reflect that.
Apply the same rigor to agents as humans. Motivation, KPIs, feedback, and performance management must extend to the agent ecosystem.
The organizations that thrive in this future won’t be those with the most advanced AI tools. They’ll be the ones that design systems where humans and agents collaborate seamlessly, empowering each other to focus on what they do best. For humans, that’s thinking critically, connecting deeply, and imagining boldly.
Let’s get ready for 2025—the year of agents—and design with the human-agent relationship in mind.
About the Authors
Dom
Heinrich
Dominik brings two decades experience in the innovation and design industry as a Global Executive Leader, helping Fortune 100 brands to creatively transform their business. Beyond his leadership responsibilities at Creative AI, Dominik is also the Global Lead for AI Design at Coca-Cola.
Tony Jones
Tony leverages his extensive experience as a Creative Director to teach AI-enhanced creativity as Co-Founder of Creative AI Academy and at Pratt Institute. His patented AI products and award-winning career in top agencies like McCann underscores his expertise in integrating AI into creative workflows.