**London**: A new survey indicates that 73% of UK businesses have fully integrated Generative AI into their operations, with a focus on adopting agentic AI for enhanced efficiency. Companies report high confidence in AI’s benefits and are ready to invest significantly towards transformation.
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly escalating in the UK, as a recent survey conducted by PagerDuty Inc reveals that a significant 73% of British businesses have fully integrated Generative AI (GenAI) into their operations. This trend is part of a broader international shift, with findings indicating that seven in ten companies are making strides to implement agentic AI, which further enhances automation and efficiency in various sectors.
The survey, which encompassed insights from 1,000 IT and business executives across the US, UK, Australia, and Japan, found that over half (51%) of companies are already engaging with AI agents. The results reflect a marked increase in confidence among UK organisations, particularly in the IT sector, with 77% of respondents believing that they will gain substantial benefits from AI integration.
Alongside these findings, a report by McKinsey & Company highlighted a notable rise in the use of AI across business functions, indicating an increase from 33% in 2023 to a projected 71% by July 2024. This rapid adoption suggests that companies are now actively pursuing AI-led transformations rather than merely experimenting with technology.
The PagerDuty survey further elaborated on the anticipated rapid adoption of agentic AI, with 94% of companies believing they will incorporate it at a quicker rate than GenAI. Notably, 55% of respondents expressed strong agreement that they would roll out agentic AI across their organisations swiftly. As businesses aim to streamline complex workflows and enhance operational efficiency, agentic AI is expected to deliver significant advancements in productivity.
Companies that have already implemented GenAI appear better positioned to embrace agentic AI, with 71% of these organisations also deploying agentic AI, compared to only 19% of those yet to fully adopt GenAI. Organizations’ expectations surrounding their investments in AI are substantial; 62% anticipate returns exceeding 100%, with an average expected return of 171%. It is important to note the cautious optimism as companies navigate the ongoing returns from their previous AI investments.
Despite GenAI delivering an impressive average ROI of 152%, there remains apprehension about the overly ambitious expectations placed on agentic AI. A significant portion of business leaders, around 52%, expect this technology to automate or expedite 26% to 50% of their workloads, suggesting a belief in considerable operational efficiencies.
On the future impact of AI, opinions among business leaders vary, with 44% foreseeing that agentic AI will surpass GenAI in terms of overall influence, while 40% maintain that GenAI will be the more transformative technology. This division reflects ongoing debates regarding the potential of evolving AI applications.
As businesses prepare for agentic AI, lessons learned from GenAI deployment have informed their strategies. Notably, 44% of leaders identified rushed adoption without adequate planning as a key challenge faced during GenAI implementation. Other concerns include managing costs (40%), enhancing employee training (37%), and developing a robust data infrastructure (37%).
The commitment to AI is underscored by a willingness to invest significantly, with 75% of firms prepared to allocate $1 million or more on AI initiatives. These budgetary commitments indicate a long-term vision for AI-driven transformation across industries.
Eric Johnson, the chief information officer at PagerDuty, commented on the findings, stating, “Leaders need to provide tangible, quantifiable benefits from their AI deployments if they want to justify the investment.” He noted that survey data supports the belief that agentic AI will yield substantial value through improved automation and decision-making efficiency.
Recognising the challenges encountered during GenAI adoption, organisations are keen to enhance training for agentic AI. Every company surveyed reported plans for training initiatives, with 61% prioritising organisation-wide seminars, and 56% intending to provide external courses for employees. Additionally, 52% plan to conduct office hours and formal mentorship programmes aimed at equipping staff with the necessary skills to effectively incorporate AI agents into their workflows.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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