At Workday’s Elevate Sydney 2025 conference, Jo-Anne Ruhl, managing director of Workday Australia and New Zealand, emphasized that AI agents should be considered part of a company’s workforce, managed just like human teams.
Ruhl described “Agentic AI”—AI programs capable of performing tasks with minimal human help and learning decision-making—as a crucial tool to improve Australia’s declining productivity. “At Workday, we don’t see these AI agents as just software. They are an extension of your workforce, a digital workforce,” she said.
She explained that, like employees, AI agents require onboarding, training, management, and sometimes offboarding. “You select these agents based on skills for specific tasks, and they work alongside your team to simplify, scale, and boost productivity,” she added.
In February, Workday launched a workforce management tool called Agent System of Record. This system helps businesses govern, manage, and optimize their digital workforce of AI agents.
While acknowledging mixed feelings about AI, Ruhl stressed that AI agents won’t replace humans but will enhance their potential. She noted that many workers feel exhausted and burnt out, with mental health concerns rising in workplaces.
“AI can elevate productivity by automating repetitive and boring tasks,” Ruhl said. “This frees people to focus on innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving—the areas that give companies a competitive edge.”
Ruhl pointed out that Australia has lagged in productivity growth, but wider AI adoption could change this trend. She described “self-thinking AI software agents” that understand their environment, decide how to process work, and complete tasks independently, all under secure and trusted human oversight.
One example is Workday’s recruiter agent, which proactively identifies suitable candidates, schedules interviews, and prepares interviewers with relevant questions. Customers using this tool have seen recruiter productivity rise by 20%, faster hiring by 20-30%, and a 40% drop in employee turnover—saving $3 million for every 100 people retained.
“This AI revolution is happening now,” Ruhl said. “It’s time to own the narrative and move forward together. These AI agents are here to stay.”
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