Agentic AI: The Next Frontier in Enterprise Decision‑Making

In the past decade enterprises have learned to rely on AI copilots that assist humans, but a new wave of technology is on the horizon. Agentic AI describes autonomous agents that perceive conditions, make decisions and act without waiting for a continuous stream of prompts. Gartner’s latest research predicts that by 2028 agentic capabilities will be embedded in one‑third of enterprise applications and 15 % of everyday business decisions will be automated by AI agents. IDC’s 2025 Future Enterprise Resiliency & Spending survey found that more than 80 % of companies view AI agents as the future of enterprise applications. This shift creates opportunity but also significant risks for decision makers.

From copilot to autonomous colleague

Traditional AI assistants and chatbots deliver content or recommendations but remain reactive. In contrast, agentic AI systems can sense changing conditions, reason through complex situations and act on behalf of the business. They string together a series of actions to achieve a goal — for example, an agent that processes a car accident claim might call emergency services, arrange a tow truck, gather photos, file an insurance claim and follow up with body shops. Workmate’s guide explains that agentic AI exhibits autonomy, intentionality and adaptability: it takes ownership of a task, defines objectives, plans steps and adjusts based on new data. While conventional AI excels at routine tasks, it struggles with complex multi‑step workflows; agentic AI combines large language models, planning algorithms and integrations with enterprise systems to complete tasks end‑to‑end. Microsoft’s recent case studies show how real businesses are already benefitting. Service‑management startup atomic work built an agent that deflects 65 % of support tickets and projects 80 % by year‑end. BDO Colombia reduced its operational workload by 50 % and optimized 78 % of internal processes by centralizing payroll and finance functions through an agent. Dow Chemical uses an agent to scan 100 000 shipping invoices for billing errors, helping employees resolve issues in minutes rather than weeks.

Why it matters for CXOs

Agentic AI promises unprecedented productivity. Agents can orchestrate complex sequences — checking eligibility, gathering documents, filling forms, updating systems and even negotiating terms — without constant human oversight. They act as virtual colleagues that free employees to focus on strategy instead of rote tasks. IDC notes that 20 % of enterprise software markets already supplement apps with agents, and Qlik observes that enterprises increasingly demand adaptive software capable of sensing changes and acting in real time.

However, CIOs must prepare for new risks. Gartner warns that over 40 % of agentic AI projects will stall or be cancelled by 2027 because cost overruns and a lack of governance will erode trust. Autonomous agents can make decisions that violate policies, leak sensitive data or amplify bias if guardrails are not in place. Microsoft emphasises that success requires least‑privilege access, immutable audit logs, circuit breakers and explainability

Human‑AI interaction research also shows that AI agents behave differently from humans. MIT Sloan experiments found that language models initially refused to buy flour priced just above \$10, assuming a strict threshold; giving context about human reasoning made them more flexible. Other studies revealed that personality pairing matters: conscientious humans paired with “open” AI agents performed better on creative tasks, while mis‑matched pairs produced lower‑quality outputs. Decision‑makers must therefore treat agentic AI as a team member, designing workflows, metrics and oversight to align machine reasoning with human values.

Best practices for enterprise adoption

Start with pilots tied to clear metrics. Gartner suggests scoping early pilots around specific processes and tracking metrics such as cost per automated decision, percentage of tasks fully automated and time saved.

Build cross‑functional squads. Technology, business and risk teams should collaborate to define objectives, guardrails and escalation paths. Agents should operate under least‑privilege access with audit trails and the ability to halt execution on anomalies.

Design for modularity and transparency. Break tasks into small, composable agents and monitor costs and performance. Ensure each agent explains its reasoning and allows human override.

Invest in data quality and integration. Agentic systems rely on trusted data foundations. Qlik notes that the strategic value lies not in the models but in how they’re applied to domain‑specific workflows. Integration with ERP, CRM and knowledge bases is essential.

Upskill your workforce. Employees need to understand how to work alongside autonomous agents, interpret outputs and intervene when necessary. Encourage a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.

Why partner with itTrident

itTrident is an ISO‑certified full‑stack development and AI services company that partners with enterprises across airlines, banking, travel and healthcare sectors. Our AI & Automation practice combines cloud engineering, DevOps and cybersecurity expertise to build secure, scalable agentic solutions tailored to your industry. We help clients pilot agents for self‑service support, intelligent document processing and autonomous analytics, while establishing governance frameworks, access controls and audit trails. As the agentic shift accelerates, we enable you to harness its potential-transforming decision‑making, improving productivity and driving innovation-without compromising trust.

Ready to explore agentic AI? Contact itTrident for a workshop on building your autonomous workforce.

Senthil Kumar Founder & Managing Director of itTrident
itTrident Software Services
Visit: www.ittrident.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/senthil-kumar-tk/