Your next coworker might be an AI agent. Here's what changes

The workplace is changing fast. Companies like Gusto (a payroll and HR platform) and others are now experimenting with AI agents — software programs that can perform tasks, make decisions, and work alongside human employees — as actual team members.

An AI agent is basically a smart computer program that can do real work. Unlike a chatbot that just answers questions, an agent can take action: it might schedule meetings, analyze data, write reports, or manage tasks independently. Think of it as a coworker who never sleeps and doesn't need a salary.

But hiring AI raises real questions. How do you stay in control of what it does? How do you keep your team motivated when some tasks go to a machine? How do you build a company culture when your workforce isn't entirely human? These are the issues that Gusto, Insight Partners (an investment firm), and Leland (which helps companies hire better) will discuss at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, a major tech conference in September. The conversation will focus on how founders can add AI to their teams without losing speed, clarity about who's responsible for what, or the human connections that make companies work.

For most startups, this isn't science fiction anymore — it's a practical question happening right now.