How AI Is Expanding Agency At Work with Jared Spataro

What happens when employees can do more than their organizations allow? As AI takes on execution, people are gaining the ability to direct work, make decisions, and own outcomes. But most organizations are not built to absorb that shift. In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Jared Spataro, Chief Marketing Officer, AI at Work at Microsoft, to explore the findings behind the 2026 Microsoft Work Trend Index—and the growing gap between individual capability and organizational readiness. Together, they unpack what Microsoft calls “blocked agency,” the emerging reality where employees are ready to operate at a higher level but are held back by outdated structures, metrics, and management practices. The conversation explores how AI is shifting work from execution to decision-making, why the most advanced users sometimes choose not to use AI, and how “frontier professionals” are already redesigning work around agents. Spataro shares what separates “frontier firms” from the rest, why organizational culture and management practices matter more than individual skill, and how both bottom-up experimentation and top-down leadership are required to unlock real value. He also offers a look at what’s already changing inside software development—and why that transformation is a preview of what’s coming across all knowledge work. If you’re trying to understand why AI isn’t delivering the impact organizations expected—or what it will take to redesign work around it — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Guest Information: Jared leads efforts to help every organization leverage AI to solve their unique business problems, reduce costs, and drive net-new value creation. Jared and his team conduct research to help predict and shape what the future of work and business will look like across industries, while also delivering new products and features within Copilot, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform.  Links: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/workl... Chapters: 00:00 – How AI Is Changing Work In 2026 01:48 – 2026 Microsoft Work Trend Index 02:43 – What Kind Of Work People Use AI For Today 04:01 – Who Are Frontier Professionals In AI 06:01 – Why The Best AI Users Know When Not To Use AI 06:55 – Will AI Hurt Learning And Skill Development At Work 08:35 – What Is Blocked Agency At Work 09:14 – Why Organizations Block AI Impact 10:38 – Can Managers Unlock AI Without Changing Culture 11:10 – How One Employee Can Change AI Culture At Work 13:06 – Why Fear Blocks AI Adoption In Organizations 14:57 – Why AI Training Alone Doesn’t Work 15:39 – What Is A Learning Organization In The Age Of AI 17:46 – What Are Frontier Firms Doing Differently With AI 18:09 – How AI Is Changing Jobs From Doers To Managers 20:26 – What Happens If Organizations Get AI Right 22:27 – Can Companies Transform Fast Enough For AI 23:39 – Why The Future Of Work Is Not About Efficiency ---- Welcome to the Future of Less Work! I’m Nirit Cohen, a Forbes columnist, international keynote speaker, and former senior HR executive with 30 years at Intel. On this channel, I explore how work is changing—across careers, leadership, HR, organizations, and education—through global trends like AI, flexibility, and workforce transformation. 📌 Each week, I share sharp insights and in-depth conversations with global thought leaders to help you understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how to stay ahead. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly videos:    / @niritcohen   🎙️ Listen on your favorite platform: https://workfutures.niritcohen.com/po... 💼 Visit Nirit’s website: https://workfutures.niritcohen.com/ 📩 For speaking inquiries & collaborations email: [email protected] 🌲All my content in one place: 🌲https://linktr.ee/niritcohen Let’s shape the future of work together!