this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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482
Microsoft Exec Suggests AI Agents Will Need to Buy Software Licenses - Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com)
submitted 5 days 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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[–] CatAssTrophy@safest.space 17 points 5 days ago (5 children)

This gets close to an idea I heard long ago that I think has some merit.

Hire an employee? You must not only pay them, but cover taxes to have them there. Buy a robot to replace them? It's a business expense, no taxes!

Okay, pay taxes for your robot usage. Use that money to fund UBI, social programs and/or retraining people for other jobs.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 days ago (4 children)

Then they’ll just make one robot do multiple things. Suddenly the big company only has one taxable employee.

[–] MashedTech@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

MAKE ONE BIG TAX!

[–] MashedTech@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Suddenly the company has no taxable robots. The CEO does everything.

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 days ago

Wouldn’t that be a funny bluff.

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