Intelligence on Tap: Designing the Frontier Firm

Event ID: PP1162464

Mon, Mar 16, 2026 | 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Venue: Salon AB (JW Marriott)

View on Official SXSW

Summary

Welcome to the era of intelligence on demand. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index introduces the Frontier Firm: built on abundant AI, where digital agents aren’t tools, they’re teammates. While some fear AI replacing jobs, the real risk is ignoring it. With 80% of employees maxed out and 82% of leaders betting on AI, the question isn’t if you’ll use digital labor, it’s how. Frontier Firms are rethinking org charts, hiring AI trainers, and managing human-agent ratios like headcount. This is your blueprint for building a business where AI scales work and where human judgment stays at the center.

Contributors

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