Navigating the Next Wave of AI: From Agentic Systems to Human-Centric Leadership

Explore how AI’s rapid evolution—from generative models to agentic systems—is reshaping business transformation and leadership in the digital age according to Joshua Morley.

7 minutes

31st of October, 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing faster than most industries can adapt. Once a creative experiment, it’s now a driver of digital transformation—redefining how businesses innovate, operate, and grow. True AI success isn’t just about technology—it’s powered by people.

The Three Waves of AI Evolution

Over the past few years, the world has witnessed multiple waves of AI transformation:

  • Wave 1 – Generative AI: The rise of tools like DALL·E and ChatGPT captured global attention, introducing millions to the creative and conversational capabilities of AI.
  • Wave 2 – AI Agents: Businesses began to realize that pre-trained models could do more than generate text—they could execute tasks, write code, and retrieve data.
  • Wave 3 – Agentic Systems: Today, we’re entering a phase where AI agents collaborate. A controller agent can assign research to specialized agents—fact-checkers, analysts, or quality-assurance bots—working together toward a shared goal.

This interconnected ecosystem is where organizations will unlock true value, moving from insight to actionable automation.

The Human Side of AI Leadership

Technology may power transformation, but people sustain it.

To lead in the AI age, organizations need more than algorithms—they need empathy, adaptability, and a culture that embraces change.

 

Technology may power transformation, but people sustain it.

Forward-thinking leaders understand that AI should enhance human potential, not replace it. By redirecting repetitive work toward automation, they allow employees to focus on creative, strategic, and meaningful contributions.

The Real Challenge: People, Not Platforms

According to research from the Boston Consulting Group, only about 10% of AI challenges relate to data science or algorithms, and another 20% to the underlying infrastructure. The remaining 70%? Those come from people, processes, and policies.

This reality highlights the need for a balanced approach to AI adoption—one that focuses as much on change management as it does on code and computation.

At Akkodis, this perspective aligns with a five-pillar model for successful AI integration:

  1. Strategic alignment and leadership buy-in
  2. Governance and risk management
  3. Training, upskilling, and reskilling
  4. Cultural adoption and change management
  5. Technology enablement

Together, these elements ensure AI transformation is sustainable, inclusive, and value-driven. 

Empowering, Not Replacing

The leaders shaping the future of AI are the ones who invite collaboration, communicate transparently, and empower their teams. By fostering open dialogue about AI’s purpose—enabling, not replacing employees—they help build trust and engagement across the organization.

 

The leaders shaping the future of AI are the ones who invite collaboration, communicate transparently, and empower their teams

As we stand on the edge of the agentic AI era, the ultimate question isn’t how intelligent our machines can become—it’s how intelligently we can integrate them into human progress.