AI Agents: 1 in 4 Companies Use Self-Operating AI

Nearly one in four companies now uses AI that can act on its own. New survey data from McKinsey shows 23% of organizations are scaling an "agentic AI" system. Another 39% are experimenting with these systems. This means 62% of companies are at least testing software that can plan and execute multi-step work independently. Here's the thing: unlike a chatbot that waits for a question, an AI agent looks at live data, decides what needs to happen, and drafts the work. This marks a shift from AI simply producing text to supporting operational decisions. Most companies scaling these agents are doing so in only one or two functions, often in IT and knowledge management. Manufacturing is also seeing significant cost benefits from AI, particularly for tasks like reconciling orders and checking inventory. The bottom line: this technology could impact how many businesses operate and make decisions in the near future.