The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the enterprise space is no longer a distant vision - it’s here, and it’s reshaping how organisations operate, innovate, and compete. At The AI Summit New York 2025 industry leaders Ritika Gunnar, General Manager for Data & AI at IBM, and Saugata Saha, President of S&P Global Market Intelligence, shared their insights into the transformative power of AI and the critical factors driving its adoption, in a session titled: The Agentic Era: What’s Really Driving Enterprise AI Adoption.

This thought-provoking discussion highlighted the importance of actionable intelligence, data readiness, and trust in AI systems, offering a roadmap for organisations looking to harness AI’s potential effectively. Here’s what you need to know about the Agentic Era and how it’s redefining enterprise AI.

Actionable Intelligence: The Key to Unlocking AI’s Potential

One of the session’s central themes was the concept of actionable intelligence. AI’s value lies not just in its ability to generate information but in its capacity to take meaningful actions based on that information. Ritika Gunnar emphasised that this approach reduces the skills barrier, enabling organisations to enhance efficiency and achieve optimal outcomes.

By integrating AI across applications, workflows, and data systems, enterprises can move beyond static insights to dynamic, actionable solutions. For example, AI-driven technologies are already being used to detect methane emissions and improve customer interactions through chat interfaces. These applications demonstrate how actionable intelligence can drive tangible results, making AI an indispensable tool for modern businesses.

Data Readiness: The Foundation of Enterprise AI Success

AI adoption is fundamentally a data problem. Without robust data readiness, organisations cannot fully leverage AI’s capabilities. The session underscored the importance of engaging both structured and unstructured data, supported by proper data policies and access controls to ensure reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Saugata Saha shared insights into S&P Global’s partnership with IBM, which focuses on activating data to drive essential intelligence. This involves simplifying data work, accelerating processes, and ensuring data is AI-ready. By prioritising data readiness, enterprises can unlock actionable intelligence and support AI systems effectively, paving the way for scalable integration.

Building Trust in AI Systems

Trust is a cornerstone of successful AI adoption. Organisations must address lifecycle management, risk compliance, and security measures to build reliable and effective AI solutions. Open-source standards and innovation ecosystems were recommended during the session as key enablers of scalable AI integration.

Saha highlighted how S&P Global is future-proofing its business by enhancing data trust, enabling straight-through processing, and integrating AI with new distribution channels. These efforts demonstrate the importance of trust in creating AI systems that are not only effective but also secure and compliant.

The Agentic Era: A New Paradigm for Enterprise AI

The Agentic Era represents a shift in how organisations approach AI adoption. It’s about moving beyond isolated projects to large-scale implementation and integration with existing systems. IBM’s study revealed that while many organisations have AI initiatives, few are prepared for this level of transformation.

To succeed in the Agentic Era, enterprises must focus on actionable intelligence, data readiness, and trust. By leveraging open-source standards and innovation ecosystems, they can build scalable AI solutions that drive efficiency, enhance decision-making, and deliver measurable results.

Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Enterprise AI

The insights shared during The Agentic Era: What’s Really Driving Enterprise AI Adoption offer a compelling vision for the future of AI in the enterprise space. From actionable intelligence to data readiness and trust, these principles provide a roadmap for organisations looking to harness AI’s transformative power.

As the Agentic Era unfolds, businesses must prioritise scalable infrastructure, robust data policies, and trust-building measures to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape. By doing so, they can unlock AI’s full potential and drive meaningful change across their operations.

Discover how the Agentic Era is shaping the future of enterprise AI and learn how your organisation can stay ahead in this transformative journey.