In this episode of Next Frontiers of AI, Scott Hebner and Christophe Bertrand, both Principal Analysts at theCUBE Research, unpack fresh primary research data on the state of digital labor transformation. The new Digital Labor Transformation Indexreveals a striking workforce evolution underway: business leaders are no longer viewing agentic AI as simply a software automation or analytics paradigm shift, but as a genuine labor market phenomenon that promises to fundamentally change how work gets done.
The data shows more than 70% of AI and business professionals believe this generation of leaders will be the last to manage human-only workforces, underscoring a conviction that digital labor is inevitable. With an aggregate maturity score of 3.1 across 13 dimensions on a 0–5 scale, enterprises are moving steadily from experimentation into structured adoption—but the journey remains uneven and trust in autonomous roles is fragile. The research highlights the pivotal role that Chief HR Officers (CHROs) will play as co-architects of this transformation, and how the emerging role of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) is destined to expand into a powerful intersection of business strategy, technology leadership, and digital workforce design.
Together, Scott and Christophe explore why digital labor is not just about efficiency but about workforce resilience, competitiveness, and the future architecture of work itself—offering critical insights for leaders preparing to manage in a hybrid era of humans and AI agents. Listeners will learn where enterprises truly stand today, what barriers are holding back progress, and which leadership roles will shape the next phase of workforce design. The conclusion: success in digital labor transformation will require cross-functional ownership, new models of trust, and bold leadership from both CHROs and emerging Chief AI Officers. #DigitalLabor #AgenticAI#FutureOfWork
