Augmentation.
Also known as: AI augmentation, augmented work
Using AI to make a person’s work better, faster, or bigger, while the person stays in charge of the task and the judgement. Augmentation and automation can overlap. A team might start by using AI to draft and check, and a year later the AI does the whole job and someone only signs it off, which is a lot closer to automation than anyone planned. You’ll also hear augmentation a lot in workforce planning, where it can be a more comfortable way of saying the job changes rather than goes.
In the wild
“Others may mostly be augmented, with AI changing how work is performed”
Seen here: McKinsey Global Institute, 2026
For AI users
Use AI to extend the work you would normally do, rather than replace yourself. Get it to help with some of the boring stuff so you can focus on judgement, creativity, and human connection. You are still likely to be responsible for the work and what you put out there, so make sure you have checks in place for quality and accuracy, and that you bring your own judgement and creativity in at the right moments.
For business leaders
The gains from AI won’t all come from efficiency. Augmentation is a way to help your teams do more by combining their skills, judgement, and experience with AI. But employees may mistrust AI or be concerned about what automation and AI-driven efficiencies mean for their jobs. We need to be clear about our organisation’s stance on AI and what we want it to do for our people. Think about where human effort is being redirected, what that could allow teams to create, and how you will manage the risks around accuracy, disengagement, and mistrust.