Protiviti's latest AI Pulse Survey report, From Automation to Autonomy: The Capabilities and Complexities of AI Agents, reveals that over 68% of multinational organizations plan to embed autonomous or semi-autonomous AI agents into core operations by 2026. Conducted among 900 global executives and professionals, the study highlights a rapid shift toward agentic AI, with 23% already within six months of deploying semi-autonomous agents under human oversight, signaling a transformative phase in corporate AI adoption.
The survey underscores a near-term surge in agentic AI, with over half of respondents planning implementation within a year and only 5% eyeing a 3-5 year horizon. Early efforts emphasize bounded domains with human guardrails to balance value and risk, progressing from pilots to scaled autonomy. "Agentic AI represents the next chapter of corporate transformation," said Tom Andreesen, Protiviti AI Leader. "Successful organizations are starting with semi-autonomous models that build trust and confidence, before scaling toward greater autonomy as their capabilities mature. The future of AI in business will be defined by this progression from controlled pilots to trusted, organization-wide decision-making."
Advanced AI maturity (Stages 4-5) correlates with aggressive agentic deployment, with 77% leveraging agents for repetitive tasks to gain competitive edges. In contrast, exploratory stages (1-2) show 33% targeting 12-month integration and 28% for 1-2 years, often via ecosystem collaborations. This stratification highlights how foundational investments accelerate scaling, turning agents into strategic assets.
A perception divide emerges: C-suite optimism (37% for semi-autonomous, 31% for full) contrasts mid-level caution (17% for full), potentially due to frontline risk exposure. Benefits vary by sector—healthcare, tech, and retail seek real-time insights; finance automates decisions; government and manufacturing adopt conservatively amid regulations. "Senior leaders see agentic AI as a catalyst for scale, speed, and competitive advantage," said Patrick Anderson, Managing Director, AI. "The opportunity is clear — the real work lies in closing the readiness gap to turn ambition into capability. Organizations that invest in the right governance frameworks, internal skill sets, and have strategic clarity will be the ones to scale successfully."
Protiviti's findings emphasize governance and skills as keys to unlocking agentic AI's potential, bridging ambition with execution for sustained enterprise transformation.
Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned member firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, HR, risk and internal audit through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries.
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