The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rise of Hybrid Intelligence systems are fundamentally redefining the workplace, leading to the emergence of entirely new roles and the transformation of existing ones. This shift is focusing job growth on skills where humans have a comparative advantage, such as creativity, judgment, and ethical oversight, while AI handles repetitive and data-intensive tasks.
The same technological wave expected to displace approximately 85 million jobs worldwide by 2025 is also projected to generate around 97 million new roles that complement the capabilities of machines.
The new roles of the AI era can be categorized into three main areas: specialized human-AI collaboration roles, new digital workers, and transformed leadership/management roles.
1. New Specialized Human-AI Collaboration Roles
These emerging roles, sometimes called the “missing middle,” are crucial for ensuring AI systems operate ethically, transparently, and effectively within a human context.
- AI Trainers: These professionals curate training data, fine-tune the tone and responses of AI systems (such as customer service chatbots), and teach AI how to perform better. Individuals often coming from fields like psychology or linguistics apply human insights to improve AI behavior.
- AI Explainers: As AI systems make decisions based on complex algorithms (“the black box” problem), Explainers act as interpreters, translating AI outputs into understandable human terms for stakeholders, customers, or regulators. This role is essential for ensuring transparency and trust.
- AI Sustainers: These individuals monitor and maintain AI systems over time to ensure they continue to operate safely, ethically, and in alignment with organizational values. They set up governance for AI performance and watch for issues like bias or drift in accuracy.
- AI Ethics Officer / Director: This role oversees the responsible use of AI. They are crucial for organizations managing data across borders and must address concerns about bias, transparency, and societal implications.
- AI Orchestrators: These individuals bridge the gap between technical and business teams. They are responsible for instructing, overseeing, assigning tasks to, and improving the results of AI agents (digital workers).
- Data Governance Specialists: Necessary for safeguarding how vast amounts of data—including personal information—are collected, stored, and shared to ensure compliance with laws like GDPR.
- Human-Centered Innovation Manager and Chief Human Experience Officer are also noted as emerging roles.
2. New Digital Roles (AI Agents)
The most notable new non-human workforce members are AI agents or digital workers.
- AI Agents (Digital Workers): These are virtual assistants or team members that can make decisions and take actions autonomously to achieve specific goals. They are expected to double the knowledge workforce and those in roles like sales and field support. They handle routine tasks such as generating first drafts of software code, processing invoices, or managing routine customer inquiries.
- The growing use of AI agents necessitates new Centers for Agents to manage, govern, and orchestrate these digital workforces, potentially replacing traditional Centers of Excellence.
3. Evolved Leadership and Management Roles
Existing leadership and management roles are being profoundly reshaped, requiring new competencies such as Double Literacy (AI literacy and Human literacy).
- Real-Time Coaches (or Supermanagers): Managers must transition away from bureaucratic duties (like information consolidation and annual reviews) to become real-time coaches. Their new function involves interpreting complex AI-generated feedback summaries and predictive data, then applying human judgment and empathy to deliver meaningful, personalized guidance and development plans.
- Strategic Sense-Makers: Leaders must evolve into “sense makers,” creating orientation and anchoring the organizational vision while AI increasingly takes over operational tasks. Their value lies in applying strategic foresight, making nuanced human decisions, and maintaining the emotional dimension of work.
This transformation means that AI augmentation is freeing up human capacity to focus on higher-level strategic responsibilities that require human cognition and creativity.
References / Endnotes
- AACSB. Micu, A. C. “Beyond STEM—Making Leadership ‘Irreplaceably Human’.” AACSB Insights, November 12, 2025.
- AIHR. Boatman, A. “AI in Performance Management: 11 Practical Applications To Guide You.” AIHR Blog (Reviewed by Cheryl Marie Tay).
- Aura Intelligence. “Augmentation vs. Automation: How AI Transforms Workforce Efficiency.” Aura Intelligence Blog, March 13, 2025.
- Borderless AI. Tremblay, D. “How AI is Reshaping Organizational Design: Global Implementation Trends.” Borderless AI, August 25, 2025.
- CEUR-WS.org. Mishra, R. “Healed by Code: Hybrid Intelligence, Digital Grief, and the Ethics of Posthuman Bereavement Support-A Digital Humanities Study.” HHAI-WS 2025: Workshops at the Fourth International Conference on Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence (HHAI), June 9–13, 2025.
- Deel. Trisca, L. “AI in Employee Retention: 6 Applications to Nurture a Long-Tenured Workforce.” Deel Blog, September 25, 2025.
- Deloitte US. “AI and a Proactive Path to (Projected) Prosperity.” Deloitte US Case Study.
- Digital Workplace Group (DWG). “AI CEO: A comprehensive guide to the new era of executive leadership.” DWG Knowledge Hub.
- Expert 360.AI. “Real-World Examples of Companies Winning with Hybrid AI Solutions.” Expert 360.AI Blog, May 8, 2025.
- Forbes Councils. “The Ethical Challenges Behind AI & HR Recruitment.” Forbes Human Resources Council, March 6, 2025.
- Holistique Training. “Hybrid Intelligence: How Humans & AI Learn Together in 2025.” Holistique Training, updated November 11, 2025.
- iSmartRecruit. Ghodasara, A. “ROI of AI Recruitment Agents: Cut Costs & Boost Efficiency.” iSmartRecruit Blog, September 22, 2025.
- IQTalent Partners. “AI Recruiting ROI: Comprehensive Guide to Measuring Impact & Value.” IQTalent Partners Blog, March 20, 2025.
- Josh Bersin Company. Ioannidou, S. “Talent acquisition transformed: Using AI to match the speed of modern work.” Chief Talent Officer, November 18, 2025.
- Josh Bersin Company. “Maximizing the Impact of AI on Talent Solutions.”
- Kenility. “AI vs. Human Intuition: Who Makes Better Decisions?” Kenility Blog.
- Knowledge at Wharton. Basiouny, A. “How Are Companies Using Gen AI in 2025?” Knowledge at Wharton, November 17, 2025.
- Knowledge at Wharton. Walther, C. C. “Why Hybrid Intelligence Is the Future of Human-AI Collaboration.” Knowledge at Wharton, March 11, 2025.
- Logicx AI. “Leadership in the Age of AI: How to Lead Hybrid Teams.” Logicx AI Blog.
- MIT. Qian, C. & Wexler, J. “Take It, Leave It, or Fix It: Measuring Productivity and Trust in Human-AI Collaboration.” 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, 2024.
- PwC. “2025 AI Business Predictions.” PwC Report.
- ResearchGate. Tafs, H. “Ethical Challenges and Algorithmic Bias in Artificial Intelligence.” Preprint, November/December 2025.
- SG Analytics. SGA Knowledge Team. “Automation vs Augmentation: Will AI Replace or Empower Professionals?” SG Analytics Blog, March 2025.
- SSII Singapore. “Hybrid Intelligence: The Future of Human-AI Collaboration in Enterprise.” SSII Singapore AI Innovation, November 8, 2024.
- SuperAGI. “From Annual Reviews to Real-Time Feedback: The Future of AI in Performance Management.” SuperAGI Blog, June 29, 2025.
- TechClass. “The Human + AI Workflow: Designing Roles Around Collaboration, Not Replacement.” TechClass L&D Articles, June 27, 2025.
- The Adecco Group. Humanity at work: How to thrive in the AI era (Global Workforce of the Future 2025 Report).
- The Adecco Group. Leading in the age of AI (Business Leaders Research). May 2025.
- The Generative Enterprise: AI’s Fundamental Impact on Talent Strategy and Executive Leadership. (Synthesis Report)
- VidCruiter. Williams, J. “Understanding the Impact of AI Bias for Recruiting.” VidCruiter Article, modified February 24, 2025.