Approximately 70% of organisations in the Asia/Pacific (APAC) region expect agentic AI to significantly disrupt their business models within the next 18 months. According to the Understanding Agentic AI Technology Adoption in Asia/Pacific report by IDC there is a growing trend among companies aiming to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer engagement, and make informed decisions through the adoption of agentic AI.
The survey of 300 organisations across various industries, underscores the rapid evolution of agentic AI, a technology that extends beyond traditional Generative AI (GenAI). Agentic AI integrates decision-making, task execution, and multi-agent collaboration within enterprise workflows, thus enabling scalable, autonomous AI-driven operations.

“Agentic AI workflows offer a more intelligent approach to adopting and integrating GenAI into business operations,” said Deepika Giri, head of Research for Big Data & AI at IDC Asia/Pacific. “However, it is crucial to recognize the importance of security and trust when implementing these systems.” She emphasises the need for an evolved data ecosystem to support agent-based architectures, which must enable dynamic data pipelines for seamless multimodal data flow.
As organisations embrace these multi-agent system architectures, the focus is shifting towards creating robust data ecosystems that ensure security while fostering automation at scale. The potential of agentic AI to drive speed, efficiency, and improved decision-making positions it as a critical investment area for enterprises navigating this next wave of AI-driven transformation.
However, the adoption of agentic AI does not come without challenges. Issues surrounding explainability, governance, and data security highlight the necessity for robust frameworks and scalable architectures. The IDC report provides insights on how businesses can leverage agentic AI to unlock efficiencies and gain competitive advantages in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
“Apart from customer care, which is the earliest adopter of agents, ITOps, and research and development are the top two areas in which agentic AI will be integrated across the enterprise,” noted Surjyadeb Goswami, desearch director for AI & Automation at IDC Asia/Pacific.
As COOs and heads of operations consider the integration of agentic AI, it is essential to prioritise the development of secure, efficient systems that align with broader business objectives. By doing so, organisations can harness the transformative power of AI to enhance their operational frameworks and maintain a competitive edge in the market.