HK firms to embrace AI agents to combat worker burnout: Microsoft

To cope, 76% of local business leaders plan to deploy AI-driven digital labour in the next 12 to 18 months.

With burnout levels rising and workplace interruptions at an all-time high, Hong Kong companies are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to fill the gap.

A new report from Microsoft revealed that 86% of Hong Kong employees feel they lack the time or energy to do their jobs, and on average, they're interrupted every two minutes.

To cope, 76% of local business leaders plan to deploy AI-driven digital labour in the next 12 to 18 months.

In Hong Kong, half of business leaders say they are already using AI agents to fully automate tasks in areas such as customer service, marketing, and product development.

To measure success, many are now adopting a new metric—the human-agent ratio—which helps determine the ideal blend of people and AI for different tasks.

As AI becomes standard in daily operations, roles are evolving. Employees are expected to become “agent bosses,” managing and training AI tools to amplify their output.

In Hong Kong, a third of leaders expect their teams to manage agents within five years, whilst another 30% foresee employees actively training them.

Despite strong leadership momentum, there is still a skills gap. Whilst 73% of Hong Kong leaders report being familiar with AI agents, only 58% of employees say the same.

Looking ahead, 83% of respondents believe AI will help employees take on more complex and strategic work earlier in their careers.