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 expertise pattern—it’s the catalyst for essentially the most important workforce transformation in a era.
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% consider their firm’s survival will rely on agentic AI.
For expertise leaders, that is exposing a niche between yesterday’s infrastructure and what’s wanted to run agentic AI securely and at scale. The laborious fact 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 programs and a widening abilities hole threaten to carry organizations again. Tech leaders within the research working for corporations with AI brokers in manufacturing see agentic AI as greater than a expertise improve—it hastens a basic reset for each infrastructure and folks.
I spend quite a lot of time speaking with Cisco prospects—from startups to world enterprises. In practically each dialog, I hear the identical themes: pleasure about AI’s potential blended with concern over whether or not their infrastructure can sustain. What’s placing is how intently these real-world conversations mirror the analysis findings. Leaders need to maneuver quick, however they know that actual transformation solely occurs when expertise, technique, and folks all transfer ahead collectively.
Infrastructure actuality examine
As expertise 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 knowledge, it’s the inspiration—the information, 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 assist 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 job that blends technical depth with cross-functional management wanted to maneuver from pilots to enterprise-wide adoption of agentic AI.
Practically 60% of workers might want to upskill— transferring past immediate engineering, to be taught 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 expertise budgets amongst early adopters—now accounting for 37%. It’s a powerful sign that agentic AI isn’t only a promising expertise 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 expertise leaders reply as we speak will form the relative success of their organizations tomorrow. Now could be the time to spend money on the infrastructure and expertise wanted to put agentic AI to work and unlock its transformative potential.
