Organizations are turning their eyes to business management agent AI to gain competitiveness.
With Agent AI, operations autonomously learn, adapt, and optimize in real time. It's not just about being faster and more efficient. It's about intelligent agents who actively anticipate challenges, personalize experiences, and drive innovation. This is a transition from automating tasks to constantly adjusting processes.
But the success of agent deployment is more than technology deployment. It depends on creating synergy between people and AI across almost all operational transactions and communications. Human surveillance, connection, decision-making and most importantly creativity are more important than ever in this next generation of intelligent operation.
New research from the IBM Business Value Institute (IBM IBV) highlights the dramatic evolution ongoing. We surveyed executives across 750 industries from six countries. Over 80% cited automating global business services as a major strategic order. And they expect AI agents to take them there. 86% say that by 2027, automating processes and reinventing workflows will be more effective for AI agents.
86% of executives say that by 2027, AI agents will make process automation and workflow reinvention more effective.
This research overview reviews three elements of autonomous automation.
Embracing the new workplace paradigm. Agent AI allows Tech to run operations and Talent to run Tech. More than half of executives say employees, suppliers and customers are already interacting with AI assistants as the main contact for their transactions. That's just the beginning. AI agents are in the workplace. 76% of executives say that organizations are developing, implementing, or scaling proofs of concepts that enable autonomous automation of intelligent workflows through self-sufficient AI agents. This transformation will ultimately boost the workforce. 90% of executives say by 2027, AI agents will be able to run business operations experts beyond simple reports and perform insightful analyses for real-time optimization.
Empower employees and improve agility with AI agents
Percentage of executives agreeing to the end of 2026 statement
Optimize the results. AI agents, like self-driving cars, are not about rules, but about outcomes. Just as the vehicle ingests its destination and navigates environmental interpretation and decision-making via sensors and algorithms, AI agents perceive the surroundings, set objectives, and dynamically modify actions to achieve these goals. While most organizations today investigate or pilot agent AI, executives have high hopes for the future. For example, 75% of executives say that AI agents will autonomously execute transaction processes and workflows over the next two years.
Fast tracking value. Scaling autonomous operations is a strategic overhaul that requires important muscles. As technology becomes more broad, 81% of management agree that their ability to differentiate depends on having the right expertise in the right position with the right incentives. However, the ongoing gap in AI skills makes it difficult for you to make AI solutions on your own. Plus, it requires a significant investment in infrastructure, maintenance and time. Even pre-built AI solutions require orchestration of diverse data sources and systems. The organization plans to increase its managed services spending and is seriously considering outsourcing business processes in functional areas.
Download the report to explore the aspirations of Agent AI for business management executives, including a deeper look at customer service, finance, HR, cash orders and procurement. The Conclusion Action Guide provides an overview of the specific steps you can take today to understand the benefits of automating agent processes.
