Agent AI is a “superpower” according to decidr. Its CEO says it's wrong to say that it won't use it to reduce overhead and increase revenue.
According to research by McKinsey & Company, agent AI represents a form of advanced artificial intelligence that moves beyond simple task execution to autonomous, goal-oriented behavior. As McKinsey explains, these systems are “virtual coworkers” and can autonomously plan and execute MultiStep workflows.
This is a critical step beyond traditional AI, which is usually reactive and performs a single task based on a specific prompt or rule. Agent AI, on the other hand, can independently determine the optimal path to a solution.
For business, this means that AI is not just a tool for functionality. It is an intelligent system that allows you to analyze market trends, optimize supply chains, adjust marketing campaigns in real time, and tackle a single goal, such as increasing sales.
As Decidr CEO David Brudenell said Forbes Australia“Give Agent AI results like '20% increase sales' or 'Improve cash flow resilience', activate multiple agents and look at all data sources, including finance, HR, customer interaction, supply chain, and even external market signals, and advance towards that outcome. ”
So why are we using such enormous capabilities at our disposal?
National AI Readiness Index Report
A report released this week by ASX List Decidr suggests that while AI adoption is rapidly increasing, the technology will primarily be used to reduce costs rather than increase revenue.
Decidr's National AI Readiness Index Report 2025 shows that businesses are moving towards AI implementation without a comprehensive strategy and may overlook a significant number of opportunities.
The report notes that 57% of Australian organizations prioritize improving efficiency and reducing costs through AI, while only 25% are focusing on using AI to drive revenue growth.
“Too many companies treat AI as a management expense, not an engine for growth,” says Brudenel. Focusing on this cost reduction could limit innovation and prevent companies from reaching their full potential, the CEO says.
The need to prioritize efficiency
The report says that AI enthusiasm is currently high, but focusing on cost reduction over growth strategies limits the full benefits of the technology.
“The most surprising thing is that they only cite 25% of competitive pressures as AI drivers. Many companies don't realize that their competitors are already moving forward with smarter AI strategies,” says Brudenell.
The study found that despite strong belief that technology will transform businesses within the next year, 76% of small and medium-sized businesses (small and medium-sized businesses) have begun adopting AI without a formal roadmap. 68% of small and medium-sized businesses believe that AI tools are competitive, but nine in 10 people use basic large language models (LLM).
The report shows that its focus on efficiency is most obvious in the regions where companies expect AI to benefit most. Marketing and customer support are tied at the top (46%), but rather than enhancing customer experience or increasing sales, these divisions use AI to streamline processes and reduce operational costs.
“Many companies don't realize that their competitors may already be moving forward through smarter AI strategies.”
David Brudenel
The report also reveals missed opportunities in other important areas. Human resources are lowest in the expected AI benefits (27%), suggesting that companies may overlook the potential for improving workforce management, talent acquisition and employee development.
The biggest barriers to the adoption of effective AI are budget constraints (28%) and security concerns (29%). While these are valid challenges, the findings of the report suggest that the lack of strategic planning and understanding of AI growth potential also contributes.
Decidr is designed to address this gap. As Brudenell states, the company, currently valued at $126 million on ASX, aims to “make AI shift practical” and uses agent AI to help businesses move beyond fragmented, siloed tools.
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