As artificial intelligence continues its advance into the workplace, a pressing new question has emerged: how many decisions should we entrust to machines, and how many must remain in human hands? The latest 2025 Work Trend Index by Microsoft reveals that companies across the globe are rapidly scaling the integration of AI agents, software systems that can reason, plan, and act autonomously to complete tasks or run entire workflows. But as human-agent teams become the new norm, the question of balance becomes critical.
At the heart of this shift is a concept that may soon become as commonplace as headcount or revenue per employee: the human-agent ratio. According to the report, leaders are now being forced to rethink how their teams are structured, not only by function or seniority, but by the number of agents each person supervises. Too few agents and companies risk missing out on efficiency gains. Too many, and employees could be overwhelmed, with risks to decision quality and organisational resilience.
The report warns that without proper calibration, organisations may face new kinds of burnout, not from overwork, but from excessive cognitive load in managing too many digital colleagues. This could be especially problematic in high-stakes sectors like banking, healthcare, or law, where poor oversight of agents could result in reputational or regulatory consequences.
Some roles will naturally be more agent-heavy than others. In logistics, for instance, AI systems may handle route optimisation and shipment tracking end to end, with human dispatchers stepping in only for exceptions. In contrast, sectors that rely on empathy or moral reasoning, such as education, healthcare, and legal negotiation, may require more human presence. As economist Daniel Susskind argues in the report, some tasks may be technically feasible for AI but still socially or ethically inappropriate to delegate.
For Maldivian businesses and public institutions, getting this balance right will be just as important. While automation is still in its early stages across government services, sectors like banking, tourism, and logistics are already exploring AI-driven solutions. As adoption grows, clear accountability frameworks will be needed to ensure that decision-making remains transparent, especially in areas where human judgement still matters most.
Moreover, the report highlights that 42 percent of employees globally are already turning to AI over colleagues due to its 24/7 availability, while only a minority use it to avoid human traits like judgement or friction. This suggests workers value what machines offer, but still see people as essential when it comes to nuance, trust, and values.
As the Maldives embarks on its own digital transformation journey, from e-governance platforms to AI in banking and tourism, the need to define boundaries becomes more urgent. Organisations must develop internal policies on when to delegate, when to supervise, and when to pause automation altogether.
The 2025 Work Trend Index urges leaders to view this not just as a technical challenge, but a governance one. The future workplace will not simply be about replacing people with AI, but about orchestrating a functional, ethical partnership between the two. Getting the ratio right could be the difference between unlocking AI’s full value or letting it run unchecked.
