The previous few years have been dominated by the thrill and promise of generative AI, however now, the dialog is shifting to agentic AI. This isn’t simply one other know-how pattern—it’s the catalyst for probably the most important workforce transformation in a technology.
In our new Cisco report with Omdia, “The Race to Agentic AI: Why Infrastructure Will Make or Break Workforce Transformation,” we surveyed 650 executives throughout six international locations. One of many findings that stood out to me was that by 2027, 80% imagine their firm’s survival will depend upon agentic AI.
For know-how leaders, that is exposing a spot between yesterday’s infrastructure and what’s wanted to run agentic AI securely and at scale. The exhausting reality is that extra strong networks are wanted—rapidly.
On common, executives predict that 55% of their workforce will likely be collaborating with AI brokers within the subsequent 24 months. But legacy techniques and a widening abilities hole threaten to carry organizations again. Tech leaders within the research working for firms with AI brokers in manufacturing see agentic AI as greater than a know-how improve—it hastens a elementary reset for each infrastructure and folks.
I spend quite a lot of time speaking with Cisco clients—from startups to international enterprises. In almost each dialog, I hear the identical themes: pleasure about AI’s potential combined with concern over whether or not their infrastructure can sustain. What’s putting is how carefully these real-world conversations mirror the analysis findings. Leaders need to maneuver quick, however they know that actual transformation solely occurs when know-how, technique, and folks all transfer ahead collectively.
Infrastructure actuality examine
As know-how leaders start to undertake agentic AI, it rapidly turns into clear that an AI-augmented workforce can solely transfer as quick because the infrastructure supporting it. When AI brokers are making choices and taking motion throughout apps, clouds, and information, it’s the inspiration—the info, the community, and the safety controls—that make all of the distinction. They decide whether or not agentic AI scales or fails.
Our analysis discovered that 87% of leaders have already reshaped their group’s strategic priorities to help agentic AI. With out resilient, safe, and agile infrastructure, the promise of agentic AI stays out of attain.
Redefining work, reinventing roles
The dialog round AI is shifting from job elimination to job evolution. Sixty-five p.c of organizations count on agentic AI to create fully new job classes over the subsequent three to 5 years. The emergence of the Chief AI Officer is only one instance of a task that blends technical depth with cross-functional management wanted to maneuver from pilots to enterprise-wide adoption of agentic AI.
Almost 60% of staff might want to upskill— shifting past immediate engineering, to study to oversee, audit, and belief autonomous brokers. That is as a lot a cultural transformation as a technological one.
Early adopters, early returns
Agentic AI is quickly claiming a bigger share of know-how budgets amongst early adopters—now accounting for 37%. It’s a robust sign that agentic AI isn’t only a promising know-how anymore—it’s a compulsory funding. Amongst organizations which have invested strategically in agentic AI infrastructure and workforce readiness, 43% report significant ROI and 39% anticipate returns inside a yr.
The agentic AI period begins now
The agentic AI period is right here, ushering in a brand new wave of innovation. How know-how leaders reply right this moment will form the relative success of their organizations tomorrow. Now’s the time to put money into the infrastructure and expertise wanted to put agentic AI to work and unlock its transformative potential.