Assistant, Partner, Prodigy: Agentic AI in Business

Kevin Petrie, VP of Research at BARC, described the evolution of AI from a mere tool to an autonomous business partner capable of deciding, acting, learning, and delegating tasks—ushering in a new era of innovative collaboration. While AI agents hold immense promise, he emphasized the necessity of human oversight in their design, management, and governance to ensure responsible implementation. Petrie noted strong industry momentum, with 92% of organizations planning to increase AI spending in the next year, signaling the growing integration of AI agents in commercial tools. He stressed that successful AI adoption depends on foundational elements like modular infrastructure, strong governance, and tight collaboration between data, AI, and application teams. Above all, he highlighted that people remain the most valuable asset, encouraging businesses to pursue quick wins, automate data processes, and invest in creative AI talent to fully unlock the potential of agentic AI.