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Technology

News and information on interesting technology relevant to business, IT setup and configuration, warehousing manufacturing and distribution.

Agentic AI, in 2025 what does this mean?

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SYSPRO has just announced a strategic partnership with Versori, an Agentic AI integration platform.

But what is Agentic AI in 2025?

 

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.

How AI and ERP Are Changing Manufacturing in Australia

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Revolutionising Manufacturing with AI and ERP

The Impact of AI and ERP Systems on Efficiency and Sustainability

n today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, leveraging AI and ERP systems is not just a trend; rather, it has become a necessity for staying competitive. A recent blog post from SYSPRO explores how these technologies are revolutionising manufacturing by enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.


AI Integration in ERP

AI and machine learning are becoming indispensable in modern ERP systems. They significantly improve decision-making, predictive analytics, and automation, leading to more innovative and efficient operations.


Smart Manufacturing

Smart factories, powered by AI and IoT, are transforming manufacturing. By integrating ERP strategies with innovative manufacturing technologies, operations are streamlined, and productivity is boosted.


Customisation

Customising ERP systems to meet specific business needs is key for operational efficiency, helping to integrate various processes seamlessly.


Sustainability and Circular Economies

ERP systems support sustainable practices by monitoring and managing resources efficiently, contributing to circular economies and benefiting the environment and the bottom line.


Resilience in Uncertainty

Robust ERP strategies, enhanced by AI and agile practices, help manufacturers navigate economic, geopolitical, and environmental uncertainties, ensuring resilience and adaptability.


These trends clearly underscore the transformative potential of ERP systems in modern manufacturing. Therefore, embracing these innovations is essential for staying ahead and thriving in a competitive market. Furthermore, for deeper insights and to learn how your business can benefit from these advancements, read the full blog post. Click here to read the Blog post.

CLOUD, sure – but which cloud model?

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IaaS, vs PaaS vs SaaS 

Whether starting a new Cloud solution from the ground up or migrating existing on-premises systems to the Public Cloud, one vital decision that needs to be made is which cloud model you want to use for your organisation, IaaS, vs PaaS vs SaaS?

IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS

Photo credits: RedHat

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

What is IaaS?

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) providers rent virtualised computing resources, such as storage, networking, and computing, to their clients. As a result, you will gain access to a fully functioning data centre without dealing with the overhead and scalability issues that come with owning and maintaining on-premises networks and servers.
IaaS providers supply these computing resources from a pool of equipment installed in data centres. You select and provision these resources through web-based management consoles or APIs. Pricing usually depends on the number of resources you consume and how long.
Examples of major IaaS providers are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

 

Why would you select IaaS?

IaaS gives you the most control, flexibility, and elasticity over your infrastructure while providing the means to quickly stand up your chosen infrastructure, compared to the potentially lengthy process of deploying an on-premises solution.
You only pay for what you use, giving you the flexibility to scale up or down without being constrained by on-premises infrastructure capacity.
Despite divesting the responsibilities of running physical infrastructure to the cloud service providers, you are still responsible for protecting the resources you run on and the data on them. Therefore, training employees to manage and secure cloud infrastructure is also necessary.
As you are still managing any resources you provide, which are usually lower unmanaged constructs on your own, there is always a risk of downtime. However, this risk can be mitigated by adhering to sound cloud architecture principles and best practices.

 

Use Cases

While any organisation can make use of IaaS providers, organisations that may benefit from using IaaS specifically are:
• Companies that want to reduce costs through on-demand pricing.
• Companies that want to run a business are growing quickly and want to scale the infrastructure whilst maintaining control over the infrastructure
• Companies of any size whose workload demands are in constant flux
• Organisations that want to be able to jump into innovative technologies provided by the IaaS cloud providers.

 

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

What is PaaS?

Platform as a Service (PaaS) providers provide a platform where organisations can build custom applications without having to build and maintain all the servers, storage, and networking. With that sorted out, developers can concentrate on building the software without worrying about the infrastructure.
PaaS vendors sometimes provide:
• Software development kits for a variety of languages and platforms
• Code samples for reference
• Documentation and support guides
• Development frameworks
• APIs for integrating with web applications
Pricing is also on an on-demand basis, with some PaaS offerings offering the option to reserve blocks of resources for a fixed fee.
Examples of PaaS include: Salesforce, Heroku, Microsoft Azure and Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento Commerce Cloud.

 

Why Choose PaaS?

PaaS allows organisations to leverage application platform frameworks to experiment and build custom applications without worrying about computing resources. As a result, PaaS may enable teams to ship out new applications faster and cut the time from planning to deployment.
It does this by providing developers with modern technologies and capabilities to build and run applications they never had access to in an on-premises world.
Because PaaS solutions are still cloud-based, they contain the same security and operational risks as other cloud solutions. In addition, you risk being locked into a single vendor, as many PaaS implementations remain proprietary to a single provider.

Use Cases

 

There are countless use cases for PaaS:
• Companies that need to bring their solutions to market quickly without worrying about the nitty-gritty of their implementation
• Organisations want some of the conveniences of pre-built functionality but require customisation to support their business needs.
• Companies that require specialised functionality like e-commerce, data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning in their development.

 

Software as a Service (SaaS)

What is SaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS) providers deliver fully functional applications through the Internet, with web browser access for their users. In addition, the SaaS provider handles maintenance end-to-end; all the user needs to worry about is using the application.
Some examples of SaaS include Google Workspace, Dropbox, Slack, SAP Concur, and GoToMeeting.

 

Why Subscribe to SaaS?

SaaS applications may save your organisation time and money because you don’t need to care about installing, managing and upgrading software — the provider does everything for you. In addition, adopting SaaS frees up time for your IT staff to deliver more value to your organisation.
The ease of use does come at a cost, though:
• SaaS providers may be limited in their ability to support use cases outside of how the provider intends it to be used.
• Vendor lock-in is another major issue, as vendors may not provide an easy way to extract data from their systems.
• If the application does not follow open standards for interoperability, integrating with your existing workflow can also pose a challenge.
• Data Security may be an issue when stored in shared resources on the Cloud
• Lack of customisation and feature limitations because of the shared nature of the applications could be an issue that needs to be considered.
• Unplanned downtime from cyber attacks or network issues may impact performance.

 

Use Cases

SaaS is an excellent option if you are a start-up or small company that needs software and eCommerce quickly without the hassle of servers, software issues and maintenance. Companies want to add capabilities rapidly but do not want to build or manage in-house. Possibly applications that need both web and mobile access
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for deciding what combination of cloud solutions is suitable for your organisation.
It is critical to implement adequate security policies and tools to ensure your organisation is protected from security risks as you adopt more cloud solutions.

SYSPRO, the ERP product that my company sells and implements, can be installed in the following environments:

• On Premises – The traditional IT setup where you manage everything

• IaaS – Where you pay monthly for Server Storage and Networking, and manage all the Virtualisation, Operating System and Software applications

• PaaS – Where Server, Storage, Networking, Virtualisation, and Operating System are paid for monthly, and you just manage the Application and data

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)

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Smart factory

The Internet of Things, commonly referred to as IoT, Industry 4.0 or Smart Factory, is a growing network of connected devices, appliances, and objects that can collect, send, and receive data over the internet. It’s a concept that encompasses everything from home appliances to wearable devices, vehicles, and beyond.

The goal of IoT is to create a connected world where all devices can communicate with one another and share data in real-time, making life easier, more convenient, and more efficient.

 

The concept of IoT

  • The concept of IOT has been around for decades, but it wasn’t until the advent of cloud computing, big data, and advances in wireless technology that it became a reality. The first IoT device was the toaster, which was introduced in 1990. Since then, the number of connected devices has snowballed, and it is estimated that by 2025, there will be over 75 billion IoT devices in use worldwide.
  • IoT has many benefits, including increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved quality of life. By connecting devices and collecting data, IoT allows for more accurate and timely decision-making, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. For example, smart homes can be equipped with sensors that monitor energy usage, lighting, and temperature, leading to lower energy bills and a more comfortable living environment.

IoT implementation across different industries

  • IoT is having a significant impact on the healthcare industry. For example, wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, allow individuals to monitor their health and well-being and provide healthcare providers with valuable data for better treatment and diagnosis. In addition, connected medical devices, such as insulin pumps and heart monitors, allow for real-time monitoring of patients, leading to faster and more effective treatment.
  • Agriculture is another industry that IoT is revolutionising. By connecting sensors, cameras, and other devices to the internet, farmers can collect data on soil moisture, temperature, and light levels, optimising their crop production and increasing yields. In addition, IoT can be used to monitor and control livestock, reducing the risk of disease and improving overall animal health.
  • IoT is also playing a major role in the transportation industry. For example, connected vehicles, such as autonomous cars and trucks, are equipped with sensors and cameras that collect data on traffic patterns, road conditions, and weather, making driving safer and more efficient. In addition, IoT can monitor and control shipping and logistics, reducing the risk of theft and increasing the speed and accuracy of deliveries.
  • In the manufacturing industry, IoT can potentially improve efficiency and productivity considerably. By connecting machines, tools, and other devices, manufacturers can collect data on production processes, leading to increased efficiency and reduced waste. In addition, IoT can be used to monitor and control the supply chain, ensuring that products are produced on time and to the highest quality standards. An example of a solution that leverages IoT technology is SYSPRO MOM (Manufacturing Operations Management).

SYSPRO MOM

SYSPRO MOM is an IoT solution enabling real-time production process monitoring and control. It integrates with a company’s existing SYSPRO ERP system to provide visibility into various aspects of operations, such as production schedules, equipment performance, and inventory levels. As a result, SYSPRO MOM helps manufacturers identify bottlenecks, optimise processes, and make informed decisions based on data.

SYSPRO MOM offers a range of benefits to manufacturers, including:

  • Real-time visibility into production processes
  • Improved efficiency and productivity
  • Better decision-making through data-driven insights
  • Enhanced supply chain visibility and control
  • Improved equipment utilisation and maintenance planning
  • With SYSPRO MOM, manufacturers can take advantage of the IoT to streamline their operations and remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

IoT in Everyday Life

The IoT is not just limited to the manufacturing industry; it also impacts our everyday lives. The IoT is changing how we live, work, and play, from smart homes to connected cars.

Smart homes, for example, allow us to control lighting, heating, and security from our smartphones. IoT devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches in healthcare will enable us to monitor our health and fitness more closely. In agriculture, sensors and cameras monitor crop production and improve efficiency.

While the IoT offers many benefits, it also presents new security challenges. As more and more devices become connected, there is a growing risk of cyber attacks. As a result, companies need to implement strong security measures to protect their devices and data.

 

 

Conclusion

The Internet of Things is a rapidly growing network of connected devices that has the potential to change the way we live and work. For example, in the manufacturing industry, solutions like SYSPRO MOM can use IoT technology to improve efficiency and productivity. The IoT also impacts our everyday lives, from smart homes to connected cars. It is important to remember however, that as more devices become connected, it is essential to pay attention to the security challenges presented by this technology.