Google Cloud predicts shift toward autonomous AI agents in the workplace

Google Cloud VP Maureen Costello has outlined a transition into a third wave of workplace technology characterized by autonomous AI agents. Speaking at the Singularity Summit South Africa 2026, Costello described the evolution from software as a tool to AI as a digital colleague capable of executing complex tasks and coordinating work across business functions with minimal human intervention.

This emerging agentic era allows AI systems to undertake assignments lasting from minutes to several days, moving beyond simple content generation or step-by-step prompting. As a result, employee roles may shift from directing individual actions to overseeing delegated outcomes. This trend is supported by data showing a 14-fold increase in AI token volumes on Google’s platform between February and August 2026.

In support of these evolving workflows, Google Workspace is introducing native markdown (.md) support in Google Docs and Drive. This update allows developers and AI agents to view, edit, and collaborate on markdown files directly without manual conversion. The move aims to facilitate seamless collaboration between humans and autonomous agents, using markdown as a shared language for structured documentation.