Key Steps for IT Leaders Implementing AI Agents

Enterprise businesses are significantly increasing their AI budgets, with a projected 19% rise in spending over the next year, according to a recent IBM report. This surge reflects a shift from experimentation to strategic deployment of AI agents, which are expected to revolutionize productivity and collaboration.

Four High-Impact Areas for AI Agents

1. Employee Experience: AI can automate 60–70% of employees’ time-consuming tasks, potentially boosting productivity by 40%. However, IT leaders must ensure this saved time translates into revenue-generating activities like strategizing or mentoring.
2. Customer Engagement: AI enhances customer journeys through personalized recommendations and predictive service. Measuring these improvements requires robust analytics.
3. Business Processes: AI agents can increase productivity by 25% by streamlining workflows and compliance. Leaders should reimagine processes to integrate real-time data.
4. Innovation: Proactive AI strategies, including pilot programs and KPIs, are essential for staying competitive.

AI Deployment Checklist

• Audit Current AI Use: Identify existing AI tools to establish a baseline for security and adoption.
• Migrate to the Cloud: Support scalable AI workloads by shifting legacy systems to the cloud.
• Define Use Cases: Test high-impact scenarios with pilot programs.
• Train Employees: Equip teams with skills to use AI responsibly.
• Implement Governance: Secure data and define AI usage policies.
• Build an AI Center of Excellence: Collaborate with partners like CDW and Microsoft’s Azure AI Foundry.

Experts emphasize starting small and iterating. "Early wins and proven ROI build stakeholder confidence," says Jonathan Rosenberg, CTO at Five9. Qualcomm’s Vinesh Sukumar adds that self-correcting AI mechanisms are critical for continuous improvement.

For deeper insights, explore CDW’s 2025 AI Research Report.