Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Management and business operations / 11-1011.00

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

US jobs
204,350
Median wage
$213,990 a year
Job family
Management and business operations

Can agents do the work of chief executives?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Management and business operations:

  • Task levelPartialOnly adjacent evidence. On TheAgentCompany, which gives agents workplace tasks inside a simulated software company, the best agent resolves 42.9% of tasks (a November 2025 result). No task-level benchmark in our collection maps directly to management or business operations.
  • Project levelPartialMixed. OpenAI reports that GPT-5.5's GDPval deliverables won or tied against professionals' work in 84.9% of comparisons, and the best agent passes 73.5% of APEX-Agents tasks on the first try. Running a business is weaker: on Vending-Bench 2 the best model ends a simulated year with $15,515, about a quarter of Andon Labs' estimate for a good strategy.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in management and business operations, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
  • Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
  • Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
  • Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
  • Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
  • Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  • Direct human resources activities, including the approval of human resource plans or activities, the selection of directors or other high-level staff, or establishment or organization of major departments.
  • Appoint department heads or managers and assign or delegate responsibilities to them.
  • Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.
  • Review reports submitted by staff members to recommend approval or to suggest changes.
Other job titles for this occupation (75)

CEO (Chief Executive Officer) · Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) · Chief Financial Officer (CFO) · Chief Information Officer (CIO) · Chief Operating Officer (COO) · Chief Technical Officer (CTO) · Executive Director · Executive Vice President (EVP) · Operations Vice President (Operations VP) · President · Aeronautics Commission Director · Agency Owner · Agricultural Services Director · Arts and Humanities Council Director · Bank President · Bureau Chief · Business Development Executive (BD Executive) · Business Development Officer (BD Officer) · Business Enterprise Officer · Business Executive · Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) · Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) · Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) · Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) · Chief Technology Officer (CTO) · Chief Warden · Commissioner · Consumer Affairs Director · Corporate Executive · Correctional Agency Director · County Commissioner · County Executive Director · Deputy District Customs Director · Deputy Insurance Commissioner · District Customs Director · Employment Research and Planning Director · Employment Services Director · Executive Officer · Finance Vice President (Finance VP) · Financial Institution President · Financial Responsibility Division Director · Foundation Director · Government Service Executive · Health Commissioner · Highway Commissioner · Hospital CFO (Hospital Chief Financial Officer) · Institution Director · Insurance Commissioner · Internal Revenue Commissioner · Labor Commissioner · Labor Standards Director · Law Enforcement Director · Licensing and Registration Director · Liquor Commissioner · Liquor Stores and Agencies Supervisor · Media Executive · Medical Facilities Section Director · Music Executive · Nonprofit Director · Police Commissioner · Private Sector Executive · Public Health Director · Public Works Commissioner · Public Works Director · Railroad Commissioner · Regulatory Agency Director · Relocation Commissioner · Road Commissioner · Safety Council Director · Staff Chief · State Assessed Properties Director · Tax Commissioner · Unemployment Insurance Director · Water Commissioner · Welfare Director