Agents & Agentic AI
Digital worker
A label for software, often agent-based, presented as carrying out work normally done by a person.
Example
An organization describes an automated invoice workflow as a digital worker.
Why people use it
It packages automation as a worker-like service for a business task.
What you'll hear
“Which parts of the work can this digital worker handle?”
What this means for you
Ask which tasks are supported and who handles exceptions.
Can you control it?
Sometimes
Sometimes. Your choices depend on the tool and your access. The settings available to an everyday user may differ from those available to the people running it.
Common questions
- Does the label mean human-level adaptability?
- No. It can describe narrow automation with substantial limitations.
- Can the label hide substantial human assistance?
- Yes. People may still handle exceptions, prepare information or review the work.
- Does it need the same access as a human employee?
- Not necessarily. Access should match the specific tasks it needs to perform.