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Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Five Tenets To Thrive In The Age Of Agentic AI
Monish Darda is the cofounder and CTO of Icertis. The business landscape is witnessing a transformative era with the rapid emergence of agentic AI. It's no longer on the horizon—it's here and shaping how companies operate, deliver value and grow. In fact, a recent study found that more than 85% of the c-suite was prepared to increase their GenAI investment in 2025. The question facing business leaders today is not whether to act, but how to act to gain strategic advantage. The real opportunity lies in agentic workflows that don't just automate tasks, but empower AI agents to make decisions, take action responsibly, and deliver outcomes at scale. Those who invest in building agentic workflows will lead in efficiency, customer value and innovation, while those who wait risk falling behind. We've seen this story before. Businesses that historically resisted investing in emerging technologies found themselves struggling to grow or, worse, becoming obsolete. Reflecting on the manufacturing boom of the 1960s, companies like General Motors that embraced automation technologies surged ahead. In contrast, those hesitant to adopt new technologies often found themselves outpaced by their competitors. By betting on the future of AI, you're banking on long-term growth. Here are five tenets to guide business leaders in realizing the full potential of agentic AI in their enterprise. Agentic AI demands quality, accessible data Agentic AI operates by learning from large datasets to generate predictions and ultimately take action. For enterprises, this means having solutions that not only store vast amounts of data but also organize it in ways that are accessible and useful for AI algorithms. The efficacy of AI models is only as good as the data on which they are trained. Structured data not only improves business performance but also empowers AI agents to act based on the most relevant and current information. In short, better data means better strategic outcomes tied to revenue, cost savings and compliance. Agentic AI requires guardrails As businesses deploy autonomous, AI-powered agentic workflows, they must ensure these agents operate within predefined parameters. When deployed the right way, agentic workflows act as a force multiplier for productivity by solving multi-step problems at scale. However, they need strong governance in order to make informed decisions that do not create unnecessary risk. For instance, contracts set the rules of business relationships and can act as guides for these workflows, helping agents take actions like fulfilling a customer service request or paying a supplier. Ultimately, building trust in agents starts by ensuring they follow the same rules of business as their human counterparts and grounding AI agents with guardrails designed to protect the enterprise. Agentic AI builds on defined business processes Agentic AI can automate complex business processes, from analyzing the financial terms in contracts to identifying hidden savings opportunities and monitoring deliverables. However, AI cannot automate what does not exist. Defined processes and systems must already be part of an enterprise's foundation in order for agentic workflows to create new efficiencies. Enterprises need strong established operations, including processes, integrated systems and a strategic roadmap for delivering value. Business leaders who have the right groundwork in place before applying agentic AI will see faster time-to-value. Agentic AI requires a culture shift Introducing any type of AI into an organization calls for a culture that embraces continuous learning and innovation. It's essential to communicate benefits and changes transparently to alleviate fears and build excitement around emerging technology. This will likely involve upskilling staff to manage and work alongside AI as it evolves. Consider the role that agentic AI could play for legal teams to automate low-risk contract reviews or identify noncompliance. According to a recent study sponsored by my company, 35% of legal teams use AI for post-execution contract management—a substantial jump from last year's 9%. Law is inherently human to human, but AI will continue to disrupt the way legal teams work for those who are willing to embrace its potential. Agentic AI warrants the need for security As AI becomes more embedded in core operations, the risk landscape expands, introducing new vulnerabilities related to data access, usage and protection. To manage this complexity, business leaders should treat cybersecurity as a core priority that is more than just an IT function. This includes implementing robust access controls, advanced threat detection, encryption, updated policies and regular employee training sessions. Those that scale AI with security at the forefront will be best positioned to protect their data, their outcomes and their brand. The Bottom Line: Agentic AI is a worthwhile investment While the initial cost of agentic AI implementation might be substantial, the long-term benefits of staying competitive in the digital era outweigh these expenses. The autonomous enterprise is beginning to take shape, as seen with autonomous contracting. For business leaders ready to lead in the age of AI, these five tenets will serve as a strong foundation for long-term growth and strategic advantage. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IT, SaaS switch on contingency plans to ensure biz continuity
Several IT companies and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) firms, having a strong international clientele, have activated contingency plans to ensure business continuity amid heightened tensions between India and follows unease among certain clients over the unfolding geopolitical events in the subcontinent. It is more evident in companies such as HCLTech, TechM, Infosys, and consultancy firms EY, Deloitte, etc which have offices around or closer to border areas like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and the National Capital Region (NCR).The business continuity plan or BCP often includes critical data backups in multiple locations, including international sites to prevent data loss in case of local disruptions, alternate work sites, redistribution of workloads and offshore or nearshore backup locations. "Major Indian IT and consulting firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, EY, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra , TCS, and Wipro have activated business continuity and crisis management protocols like work from home, command centre, mock drills, etc in response to the escalating India-Pakistan conflict," said Gaurav Vasu, founder and CEO at data intelligence platform UnearthInsight. He said the prevailing tensions could cause a slowdown in client visits to India, with some clients postponing or cancelling trips. Tata Consultancy Services , Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, LTIMindtree and Persistent Systems did not reply to ET's queries while Coforge declined to comment. Enterprise software firms also activated business continuity plans to extend critical support. This includes travel restrictions, hot lines for employees staying closer to conflict regions, and support systems in the US and Europe during emergency situations. Monish Darda, chief technology officer, Icertis, said the company has employees across India and some in Jammu & Kashmir, and is taking steps to ensure employee safety while continuing operations for customers. "Our escalation and crisis management teams are closely monitoring the situation. We also have travel restrictions for employees outside essential travel, and have advised people to leave the country when they are travelling from outside India." In addition, Darda said Icertis has a global team across the US and Europe with backup protocols in place. "If something happens, senior executives can take the call directly if needed to help support customers," he said. The firm also has communicated with customers to align with their business continuity plans. However, founders ET spoke to said unlike Covid-19, customers have not raised any concerns yet. A Mumbai-based founder, on the condition of anonymity, said there is no panic yet among customers or the founder community. "In many ways, the pandemic has prepared people for remote work," one of the executives said. If the border tensions escalate further, it could lead to internet outage and impact operations, executives said, adding they are working to minimise any potential impact for customers. In the case of IT firms, some global clients, especially in BFSI, retail, healthcare, and telecom, are seeking reassurances, but no large-scale panic has been reported yet, a US-based analyst said. Business sentiment is cautious, with concerns about travel, investment decisions, and potential delays in technology spending if the situation escalates or becomes prolonged. Some experts said the legal requirements for BCP/ DR (business continuity and disaster recovery) clauses are not yet activated but under review.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IT, SaaS switch on contingency plans to ensure biz continuity
Several IT companies and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) firms, having a strong international clientele, have activated contingency plans to ensure business continuity amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. #Operation Sindoor India responds to Pak's ceasefire violation; All that happened India-Pakistan ceasefire reactions: Who said what Punjab's hopes for normalcy dimmed by fresh violations This follows unease among certain clients over the unfolding geopolitical events in the subcontinent. It is more evident in companies such as HCLTech, TechM, Infosys , and consultancy firms EY, Deloitte, etc which have offices around or closer to border areas like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and the National Capital Region (NCR). The business continuity plan or BCP often includes critical data backups in multiple locations, including international sites to prevent data loss in case of local disruptions, alternate work sites, redistribution of workloads and offshore or nearshore backup locations. ETtech "Major Indian IT and consulting firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, EY, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra , TCS, and Wipro have activated business continuity and crisis management protocols like work from home, command centre, mock drills, etc in response to the escalating India-Pakistan conflict," said Gaurav Vasu, founder and CEO at data intelligence platform UnearthInsight. He said the prevailing tensions could cause a slowdown in client visits to India, with some clients postponing or cancelling trips. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Tata Consultancy Services , Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, LTIMindtree and Persistent Systems did not reply to ET's queries while Coforge declined to comment. Enterprise software firms also activated business continuity plans to extend critical support. This includes travel restrictions, hot lines for employees staying closer to conflict regions, and support systems in the US and Europe during emergency situations. Monish Darda, chief technology officer, Icertis, said the company has employees across India and some in Jammu & Kashmir, and is taking steps to ensure employee safety while continuing operations for customers. "Our escalation and crisis management teams are closely monitoring the situation. We also have travel restrictions for employees outside essential travel, and have advised people to leave the country when they are travelling from outside India." In addition, Darda said Icertis has a global team across the US and Europe with backup protocols in place. "If something happens, senior executives can take the call directly if needed to help support customers," he said. The firm also has communicated with customers to align with their business continuity plans. However, founders ET spoke to said unlike Covid-19, customers have not raised any concerns yet. A Mumbai-based founder, on the condition of anonymity, said there is no panic yet among customers or the founder community. "In many ways, the pandemic has prepared people for remote work," one of the executives said. If the border tensions escalate further, it could lead to internet outage and impact operations, executives said, adding they are working to minimise any potential impact for customers. In the case of IT firms, some global clients, especially in BFSI, retail, healthcare, and telecom, are seeking reassurances, but no large-scale panic has been reported yet, a US-based analyst said. Business sentiment is cautious, with concerns about travel, investment decisions, and potential delays in technology spending if the situation escalates or becomes prolonged. Some experts said the legal requirements for BCP/ DR (business continuity and disaster recovery) clauses are not yet activated but under review.
