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More than two-thirds of organizations expect to have integrated autonomous or semi-autonomous AI agents into their core operations by 2026, according to a new global study from consulting firm Protiviti.

Why it matters: The findings point to an aggressive timeline for moving beyond simple AI automation. Businesses are quickly shifting toward deploying AI agents that can operate with varying degrees of human oversight, representing a significant step in corporate transformation.

By the numbers: The survey of nearly 900 global business leaders reveals a rapid pace of adoption.

  • An additional 27% of organizations plan to integrate agentic AI systems within the next six months, on top of the 23% who are already in the final stages of doing so.
  • While most prefer semi-autonomous agents, nearly 20% are using or plan to use fully autonomous agents within the next year.
  • Only 5% of organizations are targeting a longer-term, 3-to-5-year implementation horizon.
The big picture: A company's current AI maturity level is a strong indicator of its adoption strategy.

  • Organizations in the most advanced stages of AI adoption are leading the charge, with 77% already using or expecting to use AI agents for repetitive tasks.
  • Companies in the early stages of their AI journey are more exploratory, with about a third targeting integration within 12 months.
Between the lines: A notable perception gap exists between the C-suite and employees closer to day-to-day operations.

  • Among board and C-suite executives, 31% foresee integrating fully autonomous agents.
  • However, only 17% of mid-level and operational staff expect full autonomy, suggesting that those closer to implementation challenges and operational risks are more cautious.
What they're saying: "Senior leaders see agentic AI as a catalyst for scale, speed, and competitive advantage," said Patrick Anderson, a Managing Director in Protiviti's AI practice. "The opportunity is clear — the real work lies in closing the readiness gap to turn ambition into capability."

What to watch: Different industries are prioritizing different uses for agentic AI.

  • Healthcare, tech, and retail are focused on using agents to enhance real-time data processing and insight generation.
  • Financial services organizations are leveraging their data infrastructure to automate complex decision-making.
  • Government and manufacturing sectors show more conservative outlooks, likely due to regulatory constraints and risk-averse environments.

Protiviti launched its AI Pulse Survey series in 2025. The latest report, From Automation to Autonomy: The Capabilities and Complexities of AI Agents can be viewed here.

SOURCE: Protiviti 

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