The future org chart: Mapping AI agents, access, and spending power
MIT professor Paul Cheek proposes an AI-native org chart that tracks system access, spending authority, and where AI agents fit instead of just reporting lines. A study from his AI-Driven Enterprise Institute found that just over 30% of S&P 500 executives are AI-literate, and that group achieves 78% stronger AI execution. Cheek urges CHROs to lead AI training and decide which work should be done by humans versus AI.
Cheek’s proposed chart would be a living document, shifting as AI agents are added, removed, or spawn others. It would map system permissions, budget authority, and consultation duties rather than only reporting lines.
His institute’s study found slightly more than 30% of S&P 500 executives understand AI; that group reported 78% stronger execution on AI efforts. He urges HR chiefs to lead training and decide which tasks fit people versus AI. No company has adopted such a chart yet, though Cheek built an AI-generated prototype.
If adopted, this model could reshape how workplaces assign authority, access, and training. Employees may gain clearer boundaries around AI agents’ permissions and spending, while HR leaders could become more central to strategy. Executives with AI literacy may widen performance gaps, pressuring firms to upskill. Workers in roles deemed automatable could face reassignment or new oversight. Society may see changing expectations about human judgment, accountability, and control over workplace systems.