Five Tenets To Thrive In The Age Of Agentic AI

Forbes

4 days ago

Monish Darda is the cofounder and CTO of Icertis.
The business landscape is witnessing a transformative era with the rapid emergence of agentic AI. It's no longer on the horizon—it's here and shaping how companies operate, deliver value and grow. In fact, a recent study found that more than 85% of the c-suite was prepared to increase their GenAI investment in 2025. The question facing business leaders today is not whether to act, but how to act to gain strategic advantage. The real opportunity lies in agentic workflows that don't just automate tasks, but empower AI agents to make decisions, take action responsibly, and deliver outcomes at scale. Those who invest in building agentic workflows will lead in efficiency, customer value and innovation, while those who wait risk falling behind.
We've seen this story before. Businesses that historically resisted investing in emerging technologies found themselves struggling to grow or, worse, becoming obsolete. Reflecting on the manufacturing boom of the 1960s, companies like General Motors that embraced automation technologies surged ahead. In contrast, those hesitant to adopt new technologies often found themselves outpaced by their competitors.
By betting on the future of AI, you're banking on long-term growth. Here are five tenets to guide business leaders in realizing the full potential of agentic AI in their enterprise.
Agentic AI demands quality, accessible data
Agentic AI operates by learning from large datasets to generate predictions and ultimately take action. For enterprises, this means having solutions that not only store vast amounts of data but also organize it in ways that are accessible and useful for AI algorithms. The efficacy of AI models is only as good as the data on which they are trained. Structured data not only improves business performance but also empowers AI agents to act based on the most relevant and current information. In short, better data means better strategic outcomes tied to revenue, cost savings and compliance.
Agentic AI requires guardrails
As businesses deploy autonomous, AI-powered agentic workflows, they must ensure these agents operate within predefined parameters. When deployed the right way, agentic workflows act as a force multiplier for productivity by solving multi-step problems at scale. However, they need strong governance in order to make informed decisions that do not create unnecessary risk. For instance, contracts set the rules of business relationships and can act as guides for these workflows, helping agents take actions like fulfilling a customer service request or paying a supplier. Ultimately, building trust in agents starts by ensuring they follow the same rules of business as their human counterparts and grounding AI agents with guardrails designed to protect the enterprise.
Agentic AI builds on defined business processes
Agentic AI can automate complex business processes, from analyzing the financial terms in contracts to identifying hidden savings opportunities and monitoring deliverables. However, AI cannot automate what does not exist. Defined processes and systems must already be part of an enterprise's foundation in order for agentic workflows to create new efficiencies. Enterprises need strong established operations, including processes, integrated systems and a strategic roadmap for delivering value. Business leaders who have the right groundwork in place before applying agentic AI will see faster time-to-value.
Agentic AI requires a culture shift
Introducing any type of AI into an organization calls for a culture that embraces continuous learning and innovation. It's essential to communicate benefits and changes transparently to alleviate fears and build excitement around emerging technology. This will likely involve upskilling staff to manage and work alongside AI as it evolves.
Consider the role that agentic AI could play for legal teams to automate low-risk contract reviews or identify noncompliance. According to a recent study sponsored by my company, 35% of legal teams use AI for post-execution contract management—a substantial jump from last year's 9%. Law is inherently human to human, but AI will continue to disrupt the way legal teams work for those who are willing to embrace its potential.
Agentic AI warrants the need for security
As AI becomes more embedded in core operations, the risk landscape expands, introducing new vulnerabilities related to data access, usage and protection. To manage this complexity, business leaders should treat cybersecurity as a core priority that is more than just an IT function. This includes implementing robust access controls, advanced threat detection, encryption, updated policies and regular employee training sessions. Those that scale AI with security at the forefront will be best positioned to protect their data, their outcomes and their brand.
The Bottom Line: Agentic AI is a worthwhile investment
While the initial cost of agentic AI implementation might be substantial, the long-term benefits of staying competitive in the digital era outweigh these expenses.
The autonomous enterprise is beginning to take shape, as seen with autonomous contracting. For business leaders ready to lead in the age of AI, these five tenets will serve as a strong foundation for long-term growth and strategic advantage.
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