AI has crossed an important threshold, says Microsoft CMO of AI at Work Jared Spataro: it now has remarkable abilities to think and reason. What does that mean for organizations? Intelligence is on tap. “You can now buy intelligence like you would purchase a commodity like electricity,” he explains. Spataro joined the podcast to discuss what it means for business, how he already sees agents transforming workflows and team structures, and why leaders need to “hire their first digital employee” now. Chapters: 00:00 – About WorkLab 00:26 – Guest introduction: Jared Spataro 01:49 – The Concept of Digital Employees 02:26 – Intelligence on Tap 03:34 – Frontier Firms and AI Adoption 04:17 – Timeline for AI Integration 05:00 – Real-World Examples of AI Implementation 06:23 – Increasing AI Literacy 07:30 – Digital Employees vs. Personal Assistants 08:27 – Practical Applications of Digital Employees 09:18 – The Future of Work with AI Agents 10:20 – Addressing Concerns About Job Displacement 12:45 – The Role of Managers in the AI Era 13:55 – Preparing Early-Career Talent for AI 15:18 – The Cybernetic Teammate Study 16:07 – Technological Advancements Leading to AI Integration 18:14 – Measuring the ROI of AI 21:52 – Lessons from Past Technological Transformations 22:54 – Personal Use of AI 24:00 – Advice for Business Leaders 25:04 – The Exciting Potential of AI Find this episode on: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worklab/id1582908812 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vApnLW5XfXoP8WDYGzFkT - WorkLab Podcast: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/podcast/ About the WorkLab Podcast: Join host Molly Wood as she explores what leaders need to know to prepare their organizations for the innovations and disruptions that are transforming the way we work. Listen to her conversations with leading economists, technologists, and researchers on everything from how to use AI effectively to what it takes to thrive in a digital age. Sign up for the WorkLab newsletter to get the latest AI research, insights, and trends delivered straight to your inbox: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/newsletter For more insights on the future of work, visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/ Subscribe to Microsoft on YouTube here: https://aka.ms/SubscribeToYouTube Follow us on social: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Microsoft Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Microsoft/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/microsoft/ For more about Microsoft, our technology, and our mission, visit https://aka.ms/microsoftstories

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