In the current fast-paced business world, enterprises are under constant pressure to innovate, adapt, and stay ahead of disruption. Automation has provided some level of efficiency, but it’s not enough to meet the ever-increasing demands. Intelligent systems that can independently think, decide, and act are needed more than ever. This is where Agentic AI comes into play. But what exactly is Agentic AI, and how is it different from traditional AI? More importantly, how can it be effectively harnessed to drive business growth?
Understanding Agentic AI and Its Difference from Traditional AI
Most AI technologies we see today, such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Machine Learning (ML), are examples of narrow AI. They are designed for specific applications and focus on automating tasks or recognizing patterns within data. Agentic AI, however, goes a step further. It is capable of understanding context, adapting to changing situations, and making autonomous decisions. This unique capability allows it to interpret business goals, prioritize relevant tasks, and orchestrate real-time actions.
For Global Business Services (GBS), an organizational function that provides integrated, cross-functional service delivery, the evolution of Agentic AI has significant implications. It transforms GBS from a center of process automation to an enterprise-wide decision enabler, allowing businesses to swiftly navigate through market shifts, customer expectations, and operational risks.
GBS: Transforming from Cost Efficiency to Business Intelligence
GBS has evolved from a back-office function to a crucial role that spans finance, HR, procurement, and customer operations. Its unique position, coupled with standardised processes and centralised governance, makes GBS a natural center for scaling Agentic AI. As a result, GBS is becoming the digital backbone of enterprises, with AI not merely an add-on, but an integral component of day-to-day operations.
Recent surveys conducted by Deloitte and Everest Group confirm the increasing importance of AI in GBS. Their findings reveal that AI, ML, and GenAI are now top priorities for GBS leaders, with a greater focus on orchestrating decisions rather than just automating tasks. They also suggest that GBS will soon be the nerve center of enterprise operations, connecting AI agents, people, and processes into adaptive, flexible systems.
Envisioning the Agentic GBS Enterprise
Agentic AI is reshaping how companies design their operations. Instead of reacting to problems, businesses can now deploy AI agents that learn from their environment, adjust their strategies, and coordinate actions across departments. This transformation allows GBS to shift from executing processes to orchestrating enterprise responsiveness. The systems within GBS no longer follow rigid rules; they sense and respond in real time, balancing demands while maintaining oversight, compliance, and accountability.
However, it’s crucial to note that technology alone won’t deliver these outcomes. Businesses need robust data, mature processes, and organisational readiness. GBS can play a significant role here by aligning technology with enterprise-wide processes to drive meaningful outcomes.
Building the Foundation: The Importance of Platform-Centric Models
Many businesses still grapple with fragmented data, siloed systems, and scattered AI experiments. To scale Agentic AI effectively, they require a platform-centric approach that unifies people, processes, and systems through a shared fabric of intelligence. These platforms simplify the deployment, orchestration, and governance of AI agents, embedding flexibility, transparency, and security by design.
Some leading enterprises have already started establishing real-time operations hubs that empower GBS to optimize workflows, anticipate risks, and uncover hidden efficiencies at scale. This approach ensures that Agentic AI remains scalable, efficient, explainable, auditable, and aligned with enterprise standards.
GBS’s Strategic Path Forward
As businesses embrace Agentic AI, they need to invest in governance, data quality, and talent upskilling. Agentic AI is not about replacing people but enabling new levels of human-AI collaboration. AI can handle high-speed, data-driven decisions, while humans provide the oversight, judgment, and ethical guidance that businesses will always need. This approach allows AI autonomy to work hand in hand with human intelligence, keeping businesses agile, accountable, and aligned to strategic goals.
Organisations that embed this kind of adaptability into their core will be the leaders in tomorrow’s markets, with GBS being a critical driver of that change.
Orchestrating the Future with Agentic GBS
The future of enterprise transformation will be powered by intelligent systems embedded across the business. GBS, powered by Agentic AI and platform-centric models, is ready to lead this shift. For companies determined to future-proof their operations, now is the time to reimagine GBS as the orchestrator of enterprise intelligence. By shifting from task automation to decision augmentation and from siloed services to connected ecosystems, GBS can become the engine of enterprise agility, powered by Agentic AI.
Agentic AI doesn’t just improve processes. It unlocks new possibilities. By embracing this technology, businesses are not just improving their operations – they are preparing for the future.
Arvind Rao is CTO, EdgeVerve
