How to Prepare for Agentic AI? [Transferrable Skills Training is Key]

Over the last few years, artificial intelligence has reshaped the way we work. Generative AI has quickly become a workplace staple, helping teams write, code, and analyze faster than ever before. Now, the next wave of AI is beginning to roll in: AI agents.

Unlike traditional generative AI, which responds to prompts, AI agents act independently. They  can carry out tasks with minimal human oversight. This raises exciting possibilities in the workplace, and executives are already moving to fund and AI agents. 

However, agentic AI is still new. The technology is still developing, and though it’s likely to change the workplace, it’s hard to know exactly what its impact will be. 

This means learning and development (L&D) professionals are facing a challenge: preparing their workplace for a technology that’s being developed. How can you prepare your team for the AI agent revolution before it happens?

The answer may seem counterintuitive: when technology skills change quickly, lean on people skills. 

What are AI agents?

An AI agent is an AI system that autonomously performs tasks. AI agents are capable of perceiving their environment, making decisions, and taking actions towards a goal. Like generative AI, agents are built on large language models (LLMs) but unlike Gen AI, agents are able to operate independently. They have control over their own processes; they are able to use outside tools, create workflows, and adapt to user expectations.

An AI agent might take on any of the following roles: 

• A chatbot that answers customer questions
• A coding assistant that helps developers build applications
• A self-driving car that senses roads, plans routes, and navigates
• A personal AI assistant that schedules meetings, drafts emails, or books travel arrangements
• A trading agent that buys and sells stocks 

While “AI agent” and “agentic AI” are often used interchangeably, they’re not quite the same. An AI agent is a single AI tool. Agentic AI, on the other hand, is a system made up of multiple AI agents, coordinated to complete complex workflows. 

AI agents are still in their infancy, so it’s important to note that “AI agent” can refer to a range of AI types, depending on who is providing the definition. This can mean anything from a fully autonomous system to a more prescriptive system based on predefined workflows. However, as the technology develops, AI agents are becoming more and more autonomous.

How are AI agents being used in the workplace? 

It’s early days for agentic AI, but Al agents are already a presence in certain industries. 

Software developers, for example, use agents as code assistants. AI coding tools work alongside programmers, suggesting snippets of code for engineers, and automating some of the more repetitive aspects of coding. Using AI in the coding process has sped up production and freed up developers for more creative programming tasks. 

The software industry was one of the early adopters of AI agents; in 2023, a survey found that 60% of CTOs and engineering leaders were already rolling out AI coding assistants to their software teams. Gartner predicts that by 2028, 90% of software engineers will be using AI coding tools. 

Manufacturing and logistics also got into the agentic AI game early. Logistics operators, for example, use AI agents to autonomously routine and schedule deliveries, increasing efficiency and lowering costs by more than 20% in some cases, according to McKinsey.

Despite the fact that agentic AI is still in its infancy, other industries are already planning to get into the game, and soon. A May 2025 survey found that 88% of senior executives plan to increase AI-related budgets in the next year due to agentic AI. Seventy-nine percent say AI agents are already being adopted in their companies. 

AI agents are coming — even if we might not know exactly how things will change when they do show up in the workplace. So how can you prepare your team for a technology that’s still being developed? 

How can you prepare your team for incoming AI agents? 

When technology evolves — especially when that technology’s applications are uncertain — it’s important to rely on people skills. Why? 

Because you might not know what technology you’ll be working with in the next few years. You might not know how that technology is going to impact the jobs at your organization. You do, however, know what kind of people you want to be working with.

That’s why it’s so important to train transferable skills; especially the sort of skills that can help with new AI tools. 

Why are transferable skills important? 

Soft skills, also called “transferrable skills” because they transfer between roles, are behavior-related and cognitive skills. They’re the kinds of skills that make a team member pleasant to work with, no matter what job they’re doing: empathy, listening skills, grit, and even simple things like being on time are all examples of transferable skills.

However, soft skills go beyond simple people skills and courtesy. They’re more important than ever in a world reshaped by AI for two key reasons: 

• AI cannot duplicate certain important skills: AI is capable of many things, but it cannot mimic human creativity or decision-making. As AI adoption has grown, organizations have started placing more value on human skills; according to the World Economic Foundation, the importance of soft skills has grown by 20% since 2018.Skills like emotional intelligence, collaboration and critical thinking are important for a workplace, and doubly important for anyone working with AI. 
• Some soft skills pertain directly to working with AI: AI literacy is, itself, a soft skill. There are several AI-specific skills that transfer between jobs, like prompt engineering, ethics, and the ability to critically evaluate an AI tool’s output.

If your organization isn’t training those skills, now is the time to start providing that training, according to Jill Stefaniak, Chief Learning Officer at Litmos.

“(Managers) should think about broader skills that can help employees succeed in different roles and with new technologies,” Stefaniak said in a recent interview with Computerworld. “Those key transferable skills include coding logic, problem-solving, data analysis, project management, and communication abilities — skills that are particularly valuable as technology continues to evolve rapidly.”

Why are people skills critical in a digital world? 

Technology changes fast. Even technical workers, like engineers, are hard-pressed to keep up with new tools and changing skills. 

However, success in this rapidly-evolving landscape doesn’t depend on mastering every new tool. Instead, successful workplaces are cultivating the human skills that make those tools effective. 

By focusing on transferable skills like problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking, you prepare your team not just for today’s AI, but for whatever innovations come next. The organizations that thrive in the age of AI agents won’t be those that resist the shift. They’ll be the ones that embrace it with adaptable, resilient, and people-focused teams.

Stay On Top of L&D Trends

Agentic AI is just one of the many workplace learning trends that your organization needs to address in the months and years ahead. Want to debrief on the top training trends that are making an impact in organizations across industries? Join our panel of experts for a live webinar “New Season of L&D: Training Trends for Fall 2025” to explore the rise of agentic technology, how “the great flattening” impacts workplace upskilling, and what L&D can do to revolutionize learning analytics with AI.

Register to join live or get the recording.