Embracing agentic AI: where to start

In today’s shifting technology landscape, a new force is shaping the future: agentic AI.

 

This isn’t just your traditional artificial intelligence that simply follows commands; agentic AI takes the initiative, makes decisions, acts independently and continuously adapts. For business leaders, the real question is: are you ready to harness its power? Let’s unpack agentic AI and explore what it means for your strategy.

 

What’s the big deal about agentic AI?

 

Picture a factory where machines don’t just flag problems, they fix them on the spot. That’s the promise of agentic AI. It doesn’t just simply respond to inputs; it diagnoses, repairs and optimises without human intervention.

At the same time, however, it does need defined guardrails and human governance to ensure decisions align with business goals and ethical standards. This leap into autonomy isn’t just about adopting new tech. It requires a fundamental rethink of how organisations manage data, make decisions and stay agile. Those who fail to adapt risk falling behind as competitors race ahead with these advanced systems that learn and act faster without human constraints.

 

The readiness gap: are you prepared?

 

A recent study by MIT, The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025, found that 95 per cent of enterprise generative AI projects are failing to deliver measurable returns, thanks to a lack of organisational readiness, poor problem selection and inflated expectations. Gartner predicts that a staggering 40 per cent of AI projects could be shelved by 2027 due to poor strategy and preparation.

 

What does a successful strategy and solid preparation look like? Let’s explore three key pillars that can set your business on the right path.

 

Data readiness: the heartbeat of AI

 

Data is the lifeblood of agentic AI. If your data is unreliable or outdated, your AI will make poor decisions at lightning speed. Investing in a solid data governance framework is essential to ensure your systems have access to accurate and timely information.

 

Flexible frameworks: built for agility

 

In the dynamic world of business, rigidity is your enemy. Agentic AI thrives in modular, adaptable frameworks that allow you to swap components easily, run processes across various environments and innovate without being held back by outdated technology.

 

Beyond flexibility, these frameworks must also support human oversight. This ensures that even as systems act independently, you can easily monitor, guide and intervene when needed.

 

The AI factory: scaling intelligence

 

Think of your AI initiatives as a factory line rather than random experiments. Streamlined processes for developing, testing and deploying AI solutions will help you iterate quickly, reduce errors and align your AI strategies with your business goals.

 

Agentic AI in action: a success story

 

GTT, a leading networking and security as a service provider for distributed enterprises, demonstrates what’s possible. The company has built a shared, flexible foundation that equips various teams without redundancy. Each department accesses a unified dataset tailored to its needs, ensuring everyone is on the same page while maintaining efficiency.

 

Behind the scenes, GTT uses a modular framework that intelligently routes tasks based on urgency and complexity. This allows teams to optimise resources and deliver precise insights seamlessly and smoothly.

 

GTT is also leveraging the power of agentic AI and machine learning to correlate data across multiple data sources and types. The company can proactively detect and remediate operational issues, gain efficiencies and improve network performance. 

 

The bottom line

 

Agentic AI isn’t just another technology trend. It’s a transformative shift in how business gets done. Organisations that invest in data quality, flexible frameworks and scalable AI processes will thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

 

The age of agentic AI has already begun. The question isn’t whether you’ll adopt it, but when. Those who start preparing today will be the ones shaping tomorrow.

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Gary Sidhu is Senior Vice President of Product Engineering at GTT, where he leads product innovation and development to advance the company’s networking and security-as-a-service solutions on the GTT Envision platform. With extensive expertise in modern software and platforms architecture, he designs scalable digital strategies that enhance operational efficiency and align with GTT’s mission – to simply and securely connect people and machines to data and applications anywhere in the world.