Artificial intelligence agents are rapidly becoming a critical part of modern business operations. Recent surveys show that companies are not just experimenting with these autonomous systems — they are embedding them into core workflows and seeing tangible results. This article summarises some of the most telling statistics and explores what they mean for business leaders.

Infographic: How Enterprises Use AI Agents

Automating Business Processes (64% of cases) – Nearly two thirds of organisations deploying AI agents use them to automate complex business processes. This includes orchestrating multi‑step tasks across departments, handling approvals and routing data between systems. By allowing agents to handle routine decision‑making, companies can free employees to focus on strategy and customer engagement.

Cost Savings (35% of companies) – More than a third of businesses report measurable cost reductions thanks to agentic technology. Savings often come from reduced manual labour, fewer human errors and improved resource utilisation. These savings demonstrate that agents can deliver a strong return on investment when properly integrated.

Summarising Emails and Documents (58% adoption) – Over half of organisations use AI agents to summarise incoming emails and documents. Natural language processing allows agents to extract key points, summarise lengthy messages and surface action items. This reduces the time employees spend reviewing information and ensures important details are not missed.

Automating Routine Tasks (64% adoption) – Approximately two thirds of companies rely on agents for routine operational activities. These can include scheduling meetings, updating records, generating reports and managing repetitive data entry. Automating these tasks improves accuracy and consistency while accelerating workflows.

What This Means for Business

The data points above highlight a clear trend: AI agents are no longer experimental tools, but mainstream enablers of efficiency and productivity. Their primary value lies in automating repetitive and time‑consuming activities — whether that's orchestrating workflows, summarising information or performing routine tasks. With adoption already high in many segments, businesses that haven't yet explored agentic AI risk falling behind.

Before investing, however, leaders should assess their processes to identify where agents can add the most value. It's important to maintain human oversight, especially in areas where decisions can impact customers or compliance. A phased rollout allows organisations to measure impact, build trust in the technology and train employees to work effectively alongside digital colleagues.