In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, businesses are moving beyond traditional AI agents toward something far more transformative: agentic AI. Standalone foundation models (with retrieval-augmented generation [RAG] added) can assist with summarization and question-and-answer tasks, but agentic AI systems can go much further: They can plan, decide, and act autonomously, orchestrating complex workflows with minimal human intervention. They can also access a variety of tools to accomplish their work, which gives them the ability to reach into the digital and, eventually, the physical world. Agentic AI systems are poised to not only become the backbone of the knowledge economy but will completely redefine how organizations operate and compete. Our latest research explores what enterprises need to know about this shift and how to navigate the journey toward agentic AI.

Agentic AI Potential Takes Enterprises Beyond Traditional AI And Automation Technologies

Process automation tools, predictive analytics, standalone large language models, and RAG systems have delivered significant efficiency gains, but these technologies still require human oversight and structured input. Agentic AI moves beyond these constraints, enabling self-directed decision-making and execution. For enterprises seeking to harness AI’s full potential, understanding this transition is critical.

Agentic AI is not just a step in the evolution of automation; it is a breakthrough capability that will become a competitive necessity. Early adopters will gain a substantial advantage — but success requires a strategic and experimental approach. We are still in the early stages of agentic AI’s market impact; companies must test, learn, and iterate because these powerful systems can be misaligned, creating actions that are at best undesirable and at worst harmful to your customers and critical applications.

 

Preparing Your Organization For Agentic AI

Success with leveraging agentic AI for AI-led transformation will depend on how leaders from various parts of the organization come together:

  1. CEOs must architect the autonomous enterprise. Business leaders must redesign operating models to fully leverage agentic AI as a differentiator for the company and empower employees and customers. This includes rethinking workflows, governance, and engagement strategies that go beyond simple process efficiency.
  2. Business leaders must prioritize high-impact use cases. Focus on applications with clear value, but don’t stop at ROI; think bigger about how agentic systems can help your firm grow while controlling costs at the same time. Whether it’s automating complex customer interactions or enhancing supply chain decision-making, start with well-defined objectives.
  3. Technology leaders must lay the foundation for process orchestration. Enterprises must build the right technology and infrastructure for agentic AI, including robust data pipelines, AI-driven insights, automation frameworks, and real-time decisioning engines.

Take The Next Step

The shift to agentic AI is already underway, and organizations that act now will shape the future. For a deeper dive into how agentic AI can revolutionize your business, access our comprehensive report and much more to come on this topic. Forrester clients can schedule an inquiry to dig deeper and learn how to implement agentic AI effectively and stay ahead in the AI revolution.