Businesses have had to adapt to many different digital transformations over the last decade, with the time between each digital revolution shrinking by the minute.
Now was the perfect time to sit down with Louella Fernandes for Quocirca’s latest ‘In the Spotlight’ podcast episode to discuss the AI confidence gap: what is holding back businesses from adopting AI and what the impact on business operations will be in the future.
We talked about as we move from generative AI to agentic AI, how businesses can incorporate this new technology across their operations, and whether it’s a step they are prepared to take?
What does agentic AI mean for businesses?
Agentic AI is the combination of all the current developments in both automation and artificial intelligence technologies. An agent is an autonomous worker that can become an extension of your team when trained properly, not just a chat bot to ask questions.
At Sharp, it’s our goal to support customers in making certain day-to-day tasks more efficient, liberating them to be more creative and innovative in their businesses. We need to rethink how we integrate technology into our businesses; it’s no longer about physical versus digital, but how AI blurs those lines and enhances business operations in a distinctive way.
What is the best way to embed agentic AI into business operations?
Often, we try to shoehorn technology into existing frameworks, but with agentic AI we must throw out the rulebook. Before looking at the technology itself, businesses should review their processes and think about which ones they would most benefit from automating, and perhaps even new processes that were discarded in the past because of their time intensity. Agents can unlock a new field of possibility in business operations, and assessing processes before adding in AI will lay the best foundations.
We help our customers with a clear method: first, understanding the technology, tools and level of innovation available. Then, reviewing their processes to find the right use cases, and shifting mindsets around how they incorporate technologies into their businesses and opening up to new possibilities. Finally, matching the right use case to the most appropriate technology, whether that be an off-the-shelf AI solution or a custom-made AI or cloud service.
What should businesses prioritise?
A key part of reviewing processes is understanding that proprietary data will be paramount in the new AI-powered landscape. It is changing the way businesses need to manage their data, not just to make it more secure, but also to make it easier for AI agents to automate operations.
It’s important to understand that agentic AI is still an evolving model that will change and adapt. The costs of AI are not yet fixed and could be unpredictable; businesses need to lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Businesses should assess how much it could cost them over a longer-term period and align deliverables accordingly.
Much like with the move to the cloud, which we have been helping customers do for over a decade, integrating these technologies gives business instant and direct access to innovation. Customers that trusted us with cloud transformation are now ready to embed AI, with technologies such as Model Control Protocol (MCP), which helps to reduce costs of implementing agents.
If at first, you don’t succeed, try and try again
Experience shows that the best way to create value is to pick one or two strategic cases to start with, rather than applying it to all processes or domains hoping it will work somewhere. With AI, businesses need to include an experimentation phase, where they use tests and ‘failures’ to learn where AI will function best. Dedicating time and expertise to this process is the best way to ensure real impact and return on investment.
We have applied this consulting approach to both our own businesses operations and many customers, so we are well placed to help a large variety of different sectors embed AI. Sharp’s expertise lies in process innovation alongside product innovation, rethinking business operations so that technology can work most effectively as an extension of the team.
The next frontier: businesses of the future
The last, but by no means least important, piece of the puzzle is workforce training and implementation. Not only is this essential to prevent the use of shadow AI which many businesses are already having to combat, but also an opportunity for employees to upskill in new areas. Sharp’s research showed that over half of SME leaders (51%) believed AI will open more opportunities for employees to develop new skills. We can help implement these training courses, ensuring the AI turns from something theoretical to practical, real impact in day-to-day business operations.
We discussed at length with Louella that agentic AI is the next frontier in digital transformation. Insights like these are more important than ever to businesses looking to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds to unlock new possibilities.
The pace of change is so fast, we’re guiding customers on how best to surf the wave and use technology in the best way for their business need. We are connecting people and technologies, empowering our customers through these technological changes as agentic AI will continue to evolve.
Please click here to watch the full podcast: https://youtu.be/-zSRoF1aXss
