Autonomous agents to dominate corporate AI agendas in 2025, execs predict

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is poised to bring significant changes to business operations and daily tasks in 2025, with a particular focus on autonomous agents and financial performance.

Key developments ahead: Autonomous AI agents capable of independently performing tasks like scheduling meetings and making purchases are expected to become mainstream in 2025, building on recent breakthroughs in step-by-step reasoning capabilities.

• OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar predicts widespread adoption of AI agents that can assist with everyday tasks
• The emergence of sophisticated reasoning approaches, as demonstrated in OpenAI’s o1 model, is enabling more advanced autonomous capabilities
• Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could arrive sooner than expected, with Friar suggesting it may be achieved within a few years rather than a decade

Business transformation and implementation: Major institutions are already incorporating AI technologies into their core operations, moving beyond the experimental phase.

• BNY employees are now empowered to create and deploy LLM-powered agents for daily tasks
• Digital sales teams powered by AI, such as those developed by Relevance AI, can replace human workers at 25% of the labor cost
• Back-office and front-office functions are being completely reimagined through AI integration

Financial implications: The focus is shifting from revenue growth to profitability as businesses recognize AI’s potential to improve operational efficiency.

• Venture capitalist Molly Alter anticipates 2025 will be marked by AI-driven profitability improvements
• Companies are expected to prioritize margin expansion through AI implementation
• The emphasis is moving from growth-at-all-costs to sustainable, AI-enhanced operations

Market implications: The widespread adoption of AI agents and focus on profitability could reshape traditional business models and workforce dynamics, while raising questions about the pace of technological displacement in various industries. The rapid timeline for AGI development also suggests that businesses and society may need to prepare for transformative changes sooner than previously anticipated.