Agentic AI

It’s the middle of 2025, and enterprise AI is entering a new phase. After two years of rapid trials with generative AI tools like ChatGPT and foundational work, organisations are now seeing results from those efforts. As agentic AI gains importance, leaders must establish formal strategies quickly to keep pace.

Agentic AI refers to systems that plan, make decisions, and act, rather than just respond. These agents are already at work—summarising meetings, assisting with writing, handling customer requests, and finding insights, often unnoticed. Defined by their knowledge, capabilities, and instructions, this structure enables a more practical and scalable approach to AI.

A key factor in enabling the practical completion of tasks is assigning agents to specific tasks while providing thorough context, including relevant details and a clear overview of expected outcomes. In the supply chain, for instance, purchasing agents play a crucial role; they determine shortages, evaluate different supply sources to guarantee quality and dependability, and draft thorough purchase orders that take organisational demands into account. To ensure everything meets expectations, they also monitor changes in inventory levels, manage the challenges of receiving deliveries, and verify that orders are received accurately and promptly. Establishing success criteria before starting a task allows businesses to set exact performance standards and promote a shared understanding of what success looks like to all parties.

Most organisations are currently in the initial phases of this transition. The primary challenge at present is scaling, which involves implementing agentic AI across platforms, aligning systems, and converting experimentation into a sustained competitive advantage.
The following trends aim to provide information on current developments, upcoming changes, and potential steps that can be taken to stay informed.

Trend 1—The SHIFT from systems of record to systems of action

Current Status

In order to store and organise business data and ensure uniformity and accountability among teams, enterprise systems like CRMs, project trackers, and ERPs are essential. Although information is efficiently stored on these systems, insights must be manually extracted and applied. According to Grammarly’s 2025 Productivity Shift research, 83% of professionals lack the necessary tools to utilise data efficiently, and 77% of professionals experience information overload as a result of the increasing volume of data.

The problem does not look to be a lack of data, but rather the incapacity to transform data into insights that can be put to use.

Prediction

Agentic AI will enhance, not replace, systems of record by connecting data across platforms and automating tasks. Instead of manual updates, AI agents embedded in workspaces can gather context, log activities, update records, and suggest actions—no need for users to switch tabs or open CRMs. This shift transforms passive information storage into active systems of action, where intelligent agents put data to use. While current implementations are often limited and siloed, future developments will feature more integrated systems, with agents enabling different tools to work seamlessly together. Competitive advantage will come from how effectively these agents unify various platforms.

Tasks to be addressed

For business and IT leaders, it is important to note that the future of work will likely depend less on the volume of data stored and more on the efficiency with which information can be interpreted and utilised. Agents may be required to assist employees in locating relevant information, determining appropriate actions, and carrying out tasks securely and efficiently throughout the organisation.

To change your systems from static storage units to active contributors of value, begin with the following steps:

• Audit your current systems of record

Determine where teams allocate significant amounts of time to searching, updating, or interpreting data.

• Prioritise tools with open APIs and agent-ready architectures

Seamless data access between systems facilitates agentic action.

• Embed agents into high-friction workflows

Identify repeatable, multistep tasks where intelligent execution can have a significant impact.

• Deploy with security and privacy in mind

Agents, like teammates, should have only necessary permissions, accessing essential, non-sensitive data within set limit

• Rethink how you measure ROI

• Move beyond measuring only time saved. Evaluate how agents enhance decision-making, minimise friction, and enrich the overall employee experience.
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Trend 2 – Agent COLLABORATION will unlock enterprise impact.

Current Status

Most current AI systems work in isolation, serving specific tasks within single tools and rarely connecting across multiple apps. Workplaces often use separate ecosystems like Microsoft or Google, which trap context and create barriers. Even advanced AI tools can form new silos, forcing teams to adjust how they work. As a result, teams juggle new technologies while sticking to outdated systems, limiting progress. True AI transformation will come from integrating and coordinating these tools, not just replacing them.

Prediction

The future will be powered by specialised agents that communicate, share context, and collaborate on workflows—rather than a single, all-in-one solution. Each agent might handle tasks like surfacing insights, summarising research, or drafting messages, building on each other’s work. Instead of replacing existing tech, this approach enhances its value by connecting disparate tools and reducing manual effort.

Work apps will also evolve from isolated systems with unique interfaces and friction points to modular, interoperable, and agent-ready platforms. With APIs and easy action triggers, these apps will enable professionals to work seamlessly where they need it most.

Agentic orchestration means agents and apps collaborate behind the scenes, keeping users focused. Your tech stack functions as a unified execution system—far more than just separate tools—whether you’re planning, resolving issues, or analysing results.

Tasks to be addressed

To address this change, leaders and teams should consider how their systems and AI agents interact, rather than focusing on individual task agents.

• Map your workflows, not just your tools.
  Review the procedures, personnel, and platforms integral to your team’s routine operations. Identify points where context may be lost or where transitions between tasks contribute to inefficiencies.

• Layer agents—don’t replace them.
  Chatbots and copilots will remain important, but their true potential is realised by integrating them as modular agents to achieve greater impact, rather than replacing existing systems.

• Invest in platforms that are agent and app-ready.
  Your tools should enable agents to access context, take action, and work seamlessly across platforms. The future is adaptable, not static.

Trend 3 – How it is used will define Agentic ROI.

Current Status

Agentic AI is advancing quickly, but workplace adoption lags innovation. Although many platforms now offer agents and copilots, limited usability prevents their widespread adoption—leading to costly tools that often go unused. Employees favour simple, intuitive solutions that fit their workflow; even advanced agents are ignored if they’re hard to access or trust. Historically, accessible interfaces, such as Netscape for the web and ChatGPT for AI, have driven mainstream adoption. Ultimately, simplicity fuels adoption and turns agentic AI into a competitive advantage when it’s actually used and trusted.

Prediction

In the latter half of 2025, employee utilisation will serve as a primary leading indicator for downstream business outcomes. Agents integrated within documents, messaging platforms, and dashboards—capable of responding intelligently to user objectives—are expected to achieve accelerated adoption rates and deliver enhanced business value. The most effective systems will not require users to alter their behaviours; instead, they will minimise operational friction, adapt seamlessly to individual workflows, and demonstrate clear, tangible value. Mirroring the traits of top-performing employees, high-functioning agents will proactively identify and execute necessary tasks without explicit direction. These agents are distinguished by their decision intelligence, which marks a significant advancement over previous generations of artificial intelligence. Notably, this functionality operates in the background, within existing tools and applications, thereby distinguishing high-impact agents as we move forward.

• They’ll show up directly in workspaces, not in separate dashboards or apps.

• They’ll adjust to each user’s workflow and role, rather than enforcing a uniform experience.

• They’ll trigger intelligently based on goals and context, not only on demand.
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Tasks to be addressed

Unused agents provide no value. Effective leaders not only invest in agentic tools but also monitor their use, identify areas of traction, and determine what’s needed for broader adoption.

Here’s how to turn usage into impact:

• Use the tools yourself.

• Understanding cannot be delegated. Leaders can develop their insight through direct experimentation. It may be beneficial to utilise agents in daily tasks, observe areas where they are effective or ineffective, and identify potential applications that could be expanded upon.

• Level up AI literacy.

• Agentic AI requires skilled use. Train your team in prompt writing, goal setting, and feedback. Support experimentation and shared learning to maximise AI effectiveness.

• Monitor employee adoption

• Monitor agent usage across your organisation to identify where value is emerging and where further investment is warranted.

• Spot opportunities to scale

• Build on team successes with agents by exploring their adaptability to other roles, use cases, or departments.

The bottom line?

Effortless, reliable agents will thrive; those demanding too much user input will fade. Success will be defined by utilisation, not just measured by it. Leaders who possess informed intuition are well-positioned to determine which initiatives should be scaled, ultimately driving organisational success.