As AI agents become more capable, ecommerce leaders are making sure they remain firmly in the driver’s seat.
New Workday data shows AI agents are going mainstream, but employees are drawing hard lines on how they’re used.
82% of companies are already deploying AI agents
The agent era isn’t coming. It’s here. A full 82% of organizations are actively rolling out or expanding AI agent use, according to Workday’s latest global survey of 2,950 decision-makers. For ecommerce operators, this isn’t just backend IT automation—it’s happening across scheduling, onboarding, inventory planning, and more.
The question isn’t if your team will use agents. It’s when.
75% of employees are fine with AI agents—but only 30% want them in charge
Here’s the kicker: while three-quarters of employees are comfortable working alongside AI agents, only 30% are okay being managed by one. For ecommerce teams, that means tools like ChatGPT Agents can help automate tickets, create ad copy, or pull reports—but AI shouldn’t be assigning tasks or approving budgets. Use it for acceleration, not authority.
88% say agents will reduce workload—but 48% fear more pressure
AI agents are seen as a path to less busywork and faster output. But nearly half of employees worry it’ll just crank up expectations without removing any real work. If you’re an ecommerce lead rolling out AI tools, make sure your team knows: the goal is speed and flexibility, not surveillance.
56% of companies expect ROI from AI agents in under a year
That’s a fast payback window. Operators who invest in smart agent deployment—think: automated campaign setups, report generation, or product data cleanup—can realistically expect performance gains inside 12 months. But that means choosing the right use cases and training employees to own the tools.
83% trust their company to use AI responsibly—if rolled out well
Trust isn’t automatic. But it grows with exposure. In the companies furthest along in AI adoption, 95% of employees say they trust their organization to use agents responsibly. If you want your team to adopt agents for daily ops, start with low-stakes, visible wins (like inbox sorting or PDP copy) before asking them to rely on agents in high-leverage workflows.
65% say AI agents could do most of their role—but don’t want them to
Two-thirds of employees admit agents could handle many of their responsibilities. But that doesn’t mean they want to give them up. The real win? Using agents to do the boring stuff so your people can focus on strategy, brand, and customer experience.
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