3 pieces of agentic AI advice

AI-powered transformation frees employees from repetitive tasks to focus on higher-value, more strategic work. Many of the leaders I speak to use AI to make processes more efficient and improve customer outcomes.

It does come with some risks, however. As the new generation of agentic AI use cases emerges, leaders must take steps to deliver AI transformation whilst protecting company data. Here are my three pieces of AI advice to move quickly and safely with agentic AI.

1. Focus on your long-term goal with AI

The rise of ChatGPT shone a light on generative AI (GenAI) and its potential benefits for customer retention, revenue growth, and cost optimisation.

The initial hype surrounding GenAI put pressure on chief information officers (CIOs) to deliver transformative AI experiences. Today, AI use cases are evolving. Businesses are moving from task-oriented to workflow-oriented approaches, including implementing AI agents to handle entire processes rather than individual activities.

I expect there will be more elaborate, high-value use cases that support this shift in behaviour. For example, agentic AI solutions can support risk assessments by autonomously analysing critical information—from the supply chain to contract to any service-level agreement penalties.

Leaders who persevere and embrace agentic AI across the business can expect long-term benefits for operations—by independently handling tasks, freeing up resources, and improving overall efficiency.

2. Keep up to date with developments

AI is developing at a terrific pace. According to the inaugural ServiceNow Enterprise AI Maturity Index, technology and manufacturing are the most advanced sectors in AI-powered business transformation. Leading organisations—which we call AI Pacesetters—are ahead of their peers in AI adoption, integration, and governance.

To stay competitive and drive AI transformation, CIOs and their teams must engage, assess, and reassess the agentic AI landscape at least every 90 days. These are my tips for keeping up with AI:

• Use peer networks: Talk to colleagues and attend conferences to see how other IT leaders use AI agents.
• Immerse yourself in the conversation: Make time each week to learn about agentic AI developments and assess what could be useful for your business.
• Encourage collaboration between vendors: Bring together your technology partners to reduce friction and collaborate on AI implementation challenges, such as data silos.

To ensure new tools are used effectively, workforce skills must also keep pace with AI advancements. CIOs can work with HR and other department leads to train teams on how to use the technology in their roles.

Education can help employees understand how their roles will be augmented by AI—not replaced—as the technology trims the bottom line and empowers people to grow the top line. It can encourage individuals to learn new AI skills and explore more advanced use cases, spurring further growth.

3. Prioritise AI governance

Any new technology can create risk if not properly introduced. Understanding the implications of AI from HR, risk, and technology perspectives can help leaders think through effective AI governance.

Risk management should be considered early in any new AI implementation, rather than factored in later as a wrapper. This requires collaboration across all parts of the organisation, and it starts with consistent standards for data quality.

AI can only be as effective as the data it is given, so businesses need to ensure they have the right data, in the right place, and for the right use, first. Only then can they feel confident about the decisions of their AI agents.

Leaders must also ensure that data is protected. A member of the finance team might not know that putting a quarterly statement through ChatGPT creates risk by exposing sensitive data. Before AI tools are introduced, central policies must be established to inform what AI can and should be used for within the business.

Strategies for AI governance must also consider regulations such as the EU AI Act. As obligations are phased in over the coming years, I expect the act will serve as a global standard, much like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If leaders respect and adhere to regulations, they can help protect the business. The same is true of AI governance: Getting it right means moving with agility, whereas getting it wrong can slow everything down as you attempt to retrofit new frameworks to existing approaches.

Find out how ServiceNow helps organisations put AI to work responsibly.