Microsoft coins new AI vocabulary redefining future work
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index signals a dramatic shift in the workplace, revealing a fresh AI-driven vocabulary that’s redefining everything from team structures to leadership roles.
With terms like “Frontier Firm,” “Agent Boss,” and “Intelligence on Tap,” the report highlights how artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering the way organizations operate.
Intelligence on Tap: Expertise as a utility
The concept of “Intelligence on Tap” is at the core of Microsoft’s vision. Rather than hiring expertise, organizations will soon be able to access intelligence as easily as electricity or Wi-Fi. AI agents, capable of reasoning and acting, make expertise instantly scalable and always available.
This shift challenges traditional career paths and team dynamics. Microsoft’s data—collected from 31,000 workers, LinkedIn, and Microsoft 365 usage—shows that 82% of business leaders believe 2025 is the year to rethink their operating models.
The rise of the agent boss
As organizations transition to dynamic “Work Charts,” teams will form around projects rather than fixed roles, blending human talent and AI agents. This new structure requires a different approach to leadership and management.
Managers are adapting quickly: 67% are already comfortable with AI agents, compared to only 40% of employees. The report introduces the “Agent Boss,” a professional who assigns, trains, and oversees AI agents.
A call to action
Microsoft’s report concludes that the workplace transformation is already underway. Organizations are urged to move beyond outdated metrics and embrace experimentation. The new language of work is not just about tools, it’s about reimagining roles, leadership, and career paths in an AI-powered world.
The future, Microsoft argues, belongs to those willing to adopt this new vocabulary and rethink what it means to work, lead, and succeed.
