India Inc cautiously pilots autonomous AI agents amid trust concerns

Indian enterprises are piloting autonomous AI agents like OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agents and Perplexity’s Comet, set for global launch in July 2025. These tools promise end-to-end workflow automation—from research to task execution—but adoption hinges on data quality, trust, and regulatory readiness.

Key Differences Between ChatGPT Agents and Perplexity Comet

• ChatGPT Agents: Goal-driven, programmable workflows integrated with corporate tools (e.g., Slack, Notion). Focus: backend operations and document summarization.
• Perplexity Comet: Autonomous research assistant emphasizing web-sourced insights with traceable citations.

Enterprise Pilots Proceed with Guardrails

• 79% of global executives (PwC survey) are testing AI agents, but only 36% trust risk management.
• Early adopters like ABB Energy Industries and Raychem RPG prioritize internal ops (e.g., report automation, anomaly detection) to mitigate risks.

“The technology is powerful, but its impact depends on well-governed data,” — Chandan Vijay, ABB Energy Industries’ Chief Data Officer.

Regulatory and Cultural Hurdles

• DPDP Act (India) and EU AI Act compel CIOs to address explainability and accountability.
• “Culture and policy gaps persist,” notes Mehjabeen Taj Aalam, Raychem RPG’s CDIO, highlighting the need for digital trust and redesigned workflows.

$4.4 Trillion Opportunity

McKinsey estimates agentic AI could unlock massive value, especially in manufacturing/logistics. “Agents predicting failures and auto-triggering workflows are imminent,” adds Mehjabeen.

Bottom Line: AI agents are here, but India Inc’s adoption pace will hinge on overcoming trust deficits and regulatory clarity.