Will AI agents replace humans? EY and Nvidia point to a complex future

Accounting and consulting giant EY has deepened its collaboration with Nvidia to launch the EY.ai Agentic Platform, a development that could alter the future of professional services.

Blending the reasoning capabilities of AI with human expertise, EY is venturing into the world of hybrid intelligence. But the looming question is: will AI agents ultimately replace human workers?

The EY.ai Agentic Platform, powered by Nvidia’s AI stack, including the new AI-Q Blueprint, will bring 150 AI agents into the fold, supporting 80,000 EY tax professionals. These agents are expected to handle over 3 million tax compliance tasks and streamline 30 million tax processes annually.

Tasks like data collection, document analysis, and tax compliance – previously demanding extensive human effort – will now be handled in tandem with AI in an effort to improve productivity dramatically.

According to EY, this integration will extend beyond tax to sectors such as life sciences, manufacturing, and financial services, where industry-specific AI agents will provide targeted support.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s founder and CEO, summed up the shift: “AI agents give businesses the power to navigate complexity with unprecedented intelligence.”

Yet as these intelligent agents manage risk, finance, and compliance, the boundaries between human and machine-led work are becoming increasingly blurred.

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The balancing act between automation and expertise

While the AI agents are expected to enhance operational efficiency, EY is also making human capital adjustments. Reports suggest that around 30 partner positions, mainly in its consulting division, will be eliminated. Although not directly attributed to the AI expansion, the timing has sparked speculation about whether further automation may lead to larger-scale job cuts.

Raj Sharma, EY’s global managing partner for growth and innovation, described the new platform as a means to “capitalise on opportunities through curated insights.” But while AI can analyse vast datasets and identify trends, human judgment will remain critical for nuanced decision-making.

To mitigate AI-related risks, EY has incorporated its Responsible AI Frameworks into the platform to ensure decisions made by AI agents align with ethical standards and transparency. The use of Nvidia NeMo Guardrails and EY SafePrompt software further reinforces responsible AI deployment, aiming to maintain reliability and reduce the risk of errors.

The productivity paradox

EY’s strategy of embedding AI agents into its operations highlights a paradox faced by many businesses: while automation often enhances productivity, it can also lead to workforce reduction.

The firm’s commitment to a “human-in-the-loop” approach suggests that AI will augment, rather than replace, human expertise – at least for now.

Janet Truncale, EY’s global chair and CEO, framed the AI expansion as a catalyst for growth.

“With the EY.ai Agentic Platform, we are moving fast to help the world’s largest organisations transform their enterprises and streamline increasingly complex compliance requirements,” she said while highlighting the goal of enhancing productivity and operational excellence across EY as a firm.

The platform supports EY’s own professionals and also offers clients AI-native services. A notable example is the third-party risk management agent, which will collaborate with human risk specialists to provide a more comprehensive view of organisational threats.

In this context, AI is seen less as a replacement and more as a powerful assistant.

The ripple effect of AI across industries

The broader implications of EY’s AI expansion could ripple across industries. With professional services firms increasingly adopting AI for tasks ranging from financial analysis to regulatory compliance, competitors may face pressure to follow suit.

Verdantix, a research firm, recently ranked EY as a leader in risk management consulting, citing its AI expertise as a key differentiator.

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Sharma’s assertion that “having actionable insights powered by AI technology will impact whether businesses succeed or fall behind” uncovers the competitive stakes. Firms that fail to embrace AI risk losing ground to those that leverage it effectively.

However, success will also depend on how well companies match technological advancements with human ingenuity.

While the EY.ai Agentic Platform marks a significant step in AI integration, it remains to be seen how its long-term impact will unfold.

Will AI continue to serve as a productivity booster, or will businesses increasingly lean on machines to perform tasks traditionally handled by humans?

The future may not be one of outright replacement, but rather a gradual reshaping of roles. Professionals equipped with AI tools could focus on higher-value strategic work, while repetitive tasks are delegated to machines. Yet, for workers in more vulnerable roles, the fear of redundancy remains valid.

As EY’s platform rolls out and more companies adopt similar technologies, business and HR leaders will need to weigh the benefits of AI against the potential disruption to their workforce. The balance between progress and people leadership is delicate – and how companies navigate this will define the true legacy of the AI era.