In 2026, AI agents will move from novelty to necessity. Organizations will deploy networks of specialized agents to handle repetitive tasks, analyze data and interact autonomously with customers and systems.
A new economy will emerge around these agents—one where both companies and individuals can create, train and monetize them. The challenge: ensuring these autonomous entities operate safely, transparently and within ethical and regulatory boundaries.
This shift will redefine data teams. And you should expect to see new roles emerge, including:
AI agent steward: Responsible for monitoring agent behavior, ethics and performance
Automation architect: Designs and governs the interplay between human workflows and autonomous systems
