In a recent Harvard Business Review IdeaCast podcast, longtime digital trend watcher Don Tapscott explains that the next major phase of artificial intelligence isn’t just about bigger models or smarter assistants — it’s about what he terms “identic AI.” Unlike earlier AI tools that simply generate text or perform isolated tasks, identic AI involves personalized agents that understand an individual’s values, judgment and context, and can act on their behalf in meaningful ways.
Tapscott argues that as agents become more deeply integrated into organisations and daily workflows, they will move beyond automation toward autonomy, taking actions based on a user’s preferences rather than just responding to specific commands. This could fundamentally change how work gets done, as employees increasingly rely on AI agents to complete complex tasks with minimal supervision.
The shift toward identic AI raises both opportunities and risks for leaders and businesses. On the positive side, these agents could dramatically boost productivity, help streamline decision-making and free up humans to focus more on strategic and creative work. However, Tapscott also warns that if organisations adopt such agents without clear safeguards, they might face challenges related to accountability, bias and loss of human oversight.
For executives and teams, understanding this transition means thinking beyond traditional AI integration. Rather than treating agents as simple tools, organisations must re-envision workflows, governance frameworks and roles to ensure that identic AI enhances — rather than undermines — human judgment and organisational values.
