Germany Ranks Among Global Leaders in AI Agent Use

German employees are among the world's leading industrialized nations in the professional use of autonomous AI agents, ranking just behind the United States. According to HP's "Work Relationship Index 2026," 49 percent of German employees now use so-called AI agents in their professional lives, meaning nearly one in two employees leverages this technology in their daily work.

Unlike traditional generative chatbots, AI agents can independently execute complex task chains and make business decisions. Across all office jobs, 45 percent of employees utilize such systems. The technology is already commonplace among IT decision-makers (64 percent) and managers (63 percent). The regular use of AI tools provided by employers has significantly increased, rising from 32 percent to 49 percent within a year.

Despite high adoption rates, the proliferation of this technology also sparks concern. Employees who actively use AI agents, in particular, fear job displacement the most. 43 percent of them worry about being replaced by AI or by colleagues with greater AI expertise. Adrian Müller, Vice President and Managing Director of HP Germany, notes that companies must simplify work through technology and continuously train their employees.

The labor market is characterized by caution, with job changes perceived as risky. 60 percent of respondents indicated that leaving their current position feels too risky at present. Among younger employees, a significant portion (32 percent) are taking on secondary jobs to mitigate career risks. Job satisfaction has improved only slightly, with a considerable number of employees still feeling they are in a critical zone.