Why Call AI a Coworker Not an Agent

Discover why the future of AI at work is more human than you think. Vinay Gidwaney, Chief Product Officer at OneDigital, shares how treating AI agents as talent rather than technology is changing AI adoption at work. He explains people-first change management, managing AI coworkers, building trust in human AI teams, and why real transformation depends on equity, access, and better decision-making.

Key Moments:

• AI as a Coworker (01:45): Vinay introduces “Ben,” an AI benefits consultant at OneDigital, to illustrate a fundamentally different way of thinking about AI at work. Instead of positioning AI as automation or replacement, he explains how AI coworkers are designed to augment human expertise and support better decision-making.
• Hiring, Training, and Managing AI Like Employees (04:20): Vinay walks through OneDigital’s intern-to-apprentice model for AI, including job descriptions, cultural fit, human managers, and ongoing supervision. He shows how applying HR rigor to AI builds trust, accountability, and clarity while helping employees see AI as part of the team, not a threat.
• Why AI Projects Fail: The Misguided Focus on Tools over Talent (10:45): Vinay argues that AI fails when treated like a traditional IT rollout. He emphasizes that AI adoption is fundamentally a people and change-management challenge, calling on HR leaders to lead the shift in how humans and AI work together.
• Recognizing the Limits and Risks of AI Automation (23:10): Vinay explains why fully autonomous AI agents often fall short in knowledge-based organizations. He cautions leaders to be skeptical of automation-first promises and introduces a more realistic model centered on cognition, human oversight, and thoughtful ROI evaluation.
• The Future of Work in an AI World (38:10):  Vinay reflects on his career and argues that software alone is no longer a defensible moat. He emphasizes speed, insight, services, and human judgment as the true sources of lasting value.

Key Quotes:

• “ If you treat AI like any other technology that you've adopted in your company. It's not going to work out as well as you'd like… It's not a technology thing, it's a people thing.” - Vinay Gidwaney
• “ AI is a great way to spread human talent in your organization because they mirror what your humans are doing.” - Vinay Gidwaney
• “AI is talent and you have to treat AI in the same way that you treat the talent within your organization.” - Vinay Gidwaney

Mentions

• How to Train Your AI ‘Coworker’
• What are AI agent types? How to choose one for your data
• Reconfiguring work: Change management in the age of gen AI

Guest Bio 

Vinay Gidwaney is the Chief Product Officer at OneDigital, a national insurance, employee benefits, HR, and financial services company serving 100,000 employers and 10 million families, with over $1B in revenue. He is responsible for defining and executing the technology and AI strategy as the company reinvents the insurance and wealth management industries with innovative products.

Previously, Vinay led the technology strategy for CIC Health during one of the largest COVID-19 public health campaigns in U.S. history. Collaborating with public partners, he helped set up award-winning vaccination efforts at iconic locations such as Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park, and at numerous community sites, administering 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccinations in less than seven months.

A 2002 winner of the prestigious MIT Technology Review Magazine Top 100 Innovators Under 35 award, Vinay is a proud father to Leela, Niam, Kayvion and Samay.

Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.