Redefining Work in the Age of AI Agents
For centuries, the definition of work in Physics has been simple:
Work = Force × Distance
That definition wasn’t just academic—it shaped our economies. Up until the mid-20th century, "work" was often measured and paid for in proportion to the physical effort exerted.
Move a 100 kg object 100 meters, and you’d get paid twice as much as someone moving 50 kg the same distance.
Strength equaled value.
Then came automation. Tools like the wheelbarrow, industrial machines, and eventually robots began to decouple work from brute force. You didn’t need to be strong—you needed to be inventive. Those who built the systems that amplified work became the ones who created the most value.
Invention/innovation equaled value
With the rise of the information age—computers, the internet, email—we saw another leap. Work wasn’t about physical motion anymore. It was about information flow, connectivity, and scale. Again, the definition of "work" evolved.
Information (speed of information?) equaled value
And now, we stand at the edge of another tectonic shift. Agentic AI—especially when powered by Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)—is no longer just a passive tool. It is beginning to make decisions, take actions, and pursue goals over time with minimal human intervention.
Once again, history is repeating itself. And once again, the very idea of "work" is being rewritten.
But here’s the thing: I’m not sure we fully understand what the new definition of “work” will be. If AI can reason, act, and learn—what does it mean to be productive? Valuable? Skilled? Interestingly, in Roman times, emperors had philosophers on their payroll. Thinking—deep, deliberate contemplation—was considered work. Are we heading back to a world where the most valuable human contribution is no longer building or executing, but thinking?
Thinking equals value?
How do we prepare ourselves to thrive in this new world? What should we be learning, building, or becoming?
I don't have all the answers—but I’m thinking deeply about the question. If you are too, I’d love to hear your perspective. Drop your thoughts in the comments—what does “work” mean in the age of AI?
General Manager – Data & Analytics (#DAIS) @VOIS | Industry Advisory Board – MIT ADT University & VIT | Humanizing Analytics | Storytelling that Inspires | Growth through Empathy & Evidence | Industry Academia Influencer
3moGood food for thought Suhas
Global HR Executive | CHRO-Level Impact in Engineering-Led, High-Growth Environments | Architect of Skills-Based, AI-Enabled Cultures | Strategic Business Partner | Transformation & Talent Leader
4moWell articulated, Suhas Kelkar. Every major advancement in human society has brought its own challenges, often leading to fears of redundancy. At each inflection point, it has seemed as though humans might be displaced, yet we’ve always found ways to evolve and adapt. RAG is undoubtedly one of the most transformative shifts yet, but it certainly won’t be the last. As a firm believer in human ingenuity, I am confident we will continue shaping AI in ways that elevate our lives rather than diminish them. Call me an eternal optimist—but history is on our side.
Suhas Kelkar The evolution is amazing, and this is a continuous journey, as we know the only thing is "Change Is Constant". Having said, the shift is very aggressive, there has been lot of homework from the technology folks, and everyone started making the buzz at the right time. I still wonder about the amount of effort and thinking, creativity, discipline that has gone in building the tech which can think, do much more better than humans. The final insight of "Thinking == Value", this is a basic and it has never changed from the beginning to where we are today. So that tells basics are not going to change, they are still intact. I think, what is changing is, the power we are getting with these new things & way of working, how fast we can try something, how many more iterations we can do, how fast we can validate something, and all of this in a optimal cost, I believe this is the real POWER! - we are becoming more expanded and capable. BUT, BUT, the basics must be intact, we still need to work at the ground level, go out get the things done, if we need to standup something using this new technology. This is not going to change anytime!
CEO | Technologist | Entrepreneur | Author | TEDx | Innovator | Inventor
4moInteresting read, Suhas. AI changes everything. The fact that it can interpret, reason and code, indicates a recursive self improvement capability that in driven by its own reasoning. I believe we are at the inflection point where AI gets exponentially better thanks, not to human direction, but to self direction. That is exciting, and scary at the same time. Let’s see what tectonic shifts lie ahead and what it means to us. I think a debate on this topic could be extremely insightful.
Founder and Chairman of Persistent Systems
4moWhat you are thinking "may be" valuable 😊