From GenAI to AI Agents: What Actually Changes
This H&Z study compares how GenAI and AI agents perform in real tasks. It shows where performance improves, where it stabilises, and what that means for structuring knowledge work.
AI is being introduced into daily work at pace, but the impact is uneven. Many organisations report activity rather than outcomes. Tools are in place, yet the effect on performance remains unclear.
This study takes a direct look at what changes when AI is applied to real knowledge work. We tested how professionals complete typical tasks under controlled conditions, comparing different forms of AI support.
Performance does not move in a single direction. Speed, quality, and consistency shift, but not in the same way across systems.
AI agents show strength in structured environments. General-purpose AI remains more flexible where judgement and interpretation are required. Treating them as interchangeable leads to the wrong conclusions. AI is not one capability.
Understanding where each type delivers value is what turns experimentation into impact.
What's inside?
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How the study was set up across real consulting tasks and time pressure
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A direct comparison of performance with no AI, GenAI, and AI agents
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Where improvements show up first, and where they don’t
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How AI affects consistency and output under sustained workload
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The different roles GenAI and AI agents play in practice
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What this means for structuring work, not just introducing tool
Download the Paper
See how AI changes performance in real work environments, based on measured results.
