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Microsoft Exec Suggests AI Agents Will Need to Buy Software Licenses - Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by gokayburucdev@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Buried in the story was a deceptively simple question: does your AI agent count as an employee?

At a recent conference, Microsoft executive Rajesh Jha floated a provocative idea. In a future where companies deploy fleets of AI agents, those agents may need their own identities — logins, inboxes, and even seats inside software systems. If so, AI wouldn't shrink software revenue. It could expand it.

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[-] deliriousdreams@fedia.io 95 points 3 weeks ago

If the AI Agent counts as an employee then the company "employing" it is liable for what it does.

My guess is the argument will be that "it's a tool", not an employee, and therefore they take no responsibility. Though I'm sure that argument is not going to fly for very long. If your air hammer harms someone because the person operating it wasn't using it correctly, you're still liable.

[-] gokayburucdev@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Chain fraud activities are being carried out in chain systems like n8n, where AI agents are used together. It didn't take them long to create systems that generate deepfake voices to sound like real people, directing users to buy a product or deposit money into an account. Many videos on this topic have surfaced in Türkiye, particularly on YouTube. If the users and system creators are to be penalized, then of course, information logs regarding these agents can be used.

However, if this is being done to keep some agents out of the system using user license fees, it will completely backfire.

[-] FaceDeer@fedia.io 4 points 3 weeks ago

I don't see how this distinction affects the question of responsibility at all. If anything, "it's an employee" gives the company more room for deniability.

[-] deliriousdreams@fedia.io 12 points 3 weeks ago

Lol. Ask Uber how the actions of their employees and contractors aren't their responsibility.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5y5w148p5o

[-] XLE@piefed.social 9 points 3 weeks ago

And those are for contracted workers, the ones Uber specifically tries to use these loopholes for!

Facedeer is a well-known AI activist troll, his deflections can generally be ignored

[-] FaceDeer@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

Sheesh, you're still obsessing over me? What a sad and pointless life you lead.

[-] FaceDeer@fedia.io 1 points 3 weeks ago

"More room for deniability" doesn't mean "perfect universal deniability."

[-] deliriousdreams@fedia.io 5 points 3 weeks ago

I have questions about where I said that, but okay.

[-] FaceDeer@fedia.io 1 points 3 weeks ago

Ask Uber how the actions of their employees and contractors aren't their responsibility.

Emphasis added.

this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
474 points (100.0% liked)

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