CollectivIQ launches AI workers for workplace roles

CollectivIQ has launched Digital Direct Reports, an AI feature that assigns software agents to defined workplace roles. The product is available within the company's platform.

The Boston-based company said the feature is intended to let organisations deploy AI workers for roles such as project management, executive support, software engineering, recruitment and data work. Unlike general AI assistants, each agent is assigned a specific function and can operate across the business software employees already use.

Each Digital Direct Report is given a first and last name and configured with tools, permissions and knowledge tied to a particular role. These AI workers can retain context over time, collaborate with one another and carry out tasks within existing workflows, rather than only responding to prompts in a chat window.

The launch reflects a broader shift in corporate AI use, from question-and-answer tools to software that can manage recurring work. Businesses have been experimenting with AI assistants for drafting text, summarising meetings and retrieving information, but suppliers are increasingly trying to persuade customers to hand over more routine operational tasks to automated systems.

Digital Direct Reports connects with Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Atlassian Jira, Confluence and GitHub. In practice, that means an AI worker assigned to a project team could monitor progress in Jira, coordinate schedules, prepare updates and gather information from company files and communications.

CollectivIQ also outlined examples for other roles. An executive assistant version could manage calendars, summarise meetings, draft emails and identify priorities. Engineering-focused agents could work with GitHub repositories and support software development processes, while human resources and recruiting agents could organise candidate information and assist with hiring administration.

The system keeps humans involved in approvals where needed and records activity for audit purposes. Organisations can also monitor how AI workers interact with internal systems and data, a point likely to matter to companies concerned about security, oversight and accountability as they expand AI use.

According to CollectivIQ, the feature has already been tested within Buyers Edge Platform, the foodservice procurement and technology company whose leadership team also founded CollectivIQ. It also cited an early use case at Mohegan Gaming.

Executive view

John Davie, Chief Executive Officer of CollectivIQ, set out the company's case for a broader role for AI in office work.

"As AI becomes part of every business, the next opportunity will go well beyond simple AI chat. Instead, the next iteration of AI impact will center on putting that intelligence to perform proactive work like a good junior employee," Davie said.

He linked the product to a model in which AI is treated less as a standalone assistant and more as part of a team structure.

"Digital Direct Reports represent the evolution of enterprise AI by giving every employee access to specialized AI teammates that understand their role, remember how they work, and can have projects delegated to them," he said.

Early users

One customer example came from the hospitality and gaming sector. Mohegan Gaming is examining how the software could help with purchasing and supply-related administration.

"With CollectivIQ's Digital Direct Reports, Mohegan Sun is exploring how AI can inform and automate many of our administrative responsibilities, from gathering purchasing insights and tracking supplier activity to helping our teams stay ahead of inventory needs," said Paul Surprenant, Senior Director of Corporate Purchasing at Mohegan Gaming.

"By automating routine coordination, our employees can spend more time making strategic decisions that enhance the guest experience," Surprenant said.

CollectivIQ positions itself as a platform that brings together multiple large language models in one system for business intelligence use. With this release, it is extending that approach from analysis and responses into delegated workplace functions. The main test will be whether companies trust AI workers with ongoing responsibilities inside their own software environments.