Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping how businesses operate, serving as a powerful tool for transforming workflows. A recent study estimates that AI could unlock up to US$4.4 trillion in long-term productivity growth across corporate use cases, with AI agents playing a pivotal role by automating routine work or even handling complex queries, thereby freeing employees for higher-value work and achieving better results.
Research commissioned by Zoom also shows that 89% of employees and 92% of leaders cited reduced repetitive tasks and increased efficiency as key benefits of AI, demonstrating its capacity to streamline operations and optimise resource allocation.
AI agents are more than tools—they are intelligent partners that amplify human capabilities. Combining reasoning and memory, they autonomously pursue goals, learn from experience, and execute complex actions across systems. By enhancing both efficiency and decision-making, they become true extensions of our cognitive and operational workflows.
For Chief Operating Officers (COOs), the real question lies in how to integrate AI agents into the organisation in a way that improves workflow, uplifts productivity and efficiency, while strengthening the cohesion across the organisation.
Goodbye to “work about work”
Employees spend 60% of their work time on “work about work” rather than on skilled tasks, according to astudy. Operational leaders understand that employee experience (EX) directly influences productivity.
Implementing a work platform with AI agent capabilities helps reduce “work about work” by taking over time-consuming, repetitive tasks such as note-taking, meeting summaries, follow-ups, scheduling, agenda management, and information retrieval, which allows employees to focus on high-impact work.
Beyond task automation, AI agents also act as active collaborators, identifying action items from meetings, chats, and emails, then taking the next step—whether it’s drafting messages or generating documents—with human oversight.
Employees gain clarity by tracking tasks in a centralised manner, maintaining control over visibility and permissions. This shift from reactive to proactive support transforms team operations, reducing cognitive load and enhancing focus.
The integration of AI agents into enterprise work platforms is a game-changer when properly embedded. These agents streamline processes, reduce operational bottlenecks, and create seamless interactions between departments - all critical outcomes for operations teams aiming to boost agility and reduce cost.
Empowered frontline management
For COOs, a key measure of operational excellence lies in frontline performance—where customer interactions make or break brand reputation. Today’s AI agents are redefining contact centres as engines of customer satisfaction and efficiency.
They streamline the customer service flow by handling inquiries and issues with contextual understanding and empathetic responses, assisting agents with real-time transcripts, and routing problems to the appropriate channels. This eliminates frustrating wait times and maintains satisfaction, even during peak demand.
But the transformative impact lies in what happens behind the scenes. Imagine a platform with AI agents that also equips managers with tools to stay ahead, such as predicting call volumes and staffing through automated forecasting and scheduling, tracking performance with scorecards and sentiment analysis, and flagging service slowdowns or issues before they escalate.
Instead of relying on manual oversight, operations leaders gain a live, organised view of their frontline, making it easier to allocate resources, hit performance targets, and fine-tune workflows with speed and precision. For operational leaders, that is not just efficiency; it is the foundation for sustainable growth.
Finding trust in AI agents
As AI agents become more deeply integrated into daily operations, it’s essential for leaders to understand how these tools are deployed for their organisations. Security and privacy must come first—organisations should prioritise solutions that do not use customer content to train general-purpose AI models, reducing the risk of sensitive information exposure and supporting compliance with data governance objectives.
Equally important is the underlying architecture. A federated AI approach, which leverages multiple third-party large language models (LLMs), or incorporates small language models with LLMs, offers a balanced mix of reliability, accuracy, and cost efficiency—allowing businesses to match the right model to the right task without overspending on compute power.
Customisability also plays a key role in operational success. AI agents should be intuitive to tailor—whether that means adjusting workflows, incorporating company-specific terminology, or integrating with existing platforms—so teams can unlock the full value of automation with ease.
Refocusing on what matters most
The future of operations is about empowering them with the right tools to do their best work. When deployed thoughtfully, AI agents unlock time for human connection, creativity, and strategy, helping organisations prioritise what truly matters.
For COOs, success lies in investing in both AI technology and the ecosystem around it—from governance frameworks to employee education and platform integration. Partnering with trusted experts who understand your needs can accelerate success and ensure your AI agents deliver both intelligence and measurable impact.
