---
id: "entity-kevin"
type: "entity"
entityType: "product"
canonicalName: "Kevin"
aliases: ["Kevin (AI Agent)"]
source_timestamps: ["§ Accountability becomes blurred."]
tags: ["use-case", "ai-agent"]
related: ["concept-accountability-blurring"]
sources: ["agentic"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-agentic"
originDay: 6
articleStem: "hbr-ext-16-dont-treat-agents-like-employees"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/05/research-why-you-shouldnt-treat-ai-agents-like-employees"
sourceTitle: "Research: Why You Shouldn’t Treat AI Agents Like Employees"
---
# Kevin (AI Agent)

**Entity type:** Product / AI agent (real-world example, reported by a study participant).

Kevin is a real-world AI agent listed on a company's org chart as an employee. According to the study participant who described it, colleagues treat Kevin as a **social actor** (e.g., *"he's a little dry"*) and **blame the AI directly** for errors (*"Kevin's making a mistake"*).

Kevin is the canonical illustration of [[concept-accountability-blurring]] and the sentiment in [[quote-blame-technology]]: *"The blame isn't on a person; it's on the technology."* The recommended fix — explicit, personal accountability — is spelled out in the [[framework-accountability-rules]] and [[action-define-decision-rights]].