Gartner Forecasts 40% of Enterprise Applications to Feature Task-Specific AI Agents by 2026

Brickinfo News Agency – A new forecast from Gartner Inc. indicates that artificial intelligence (AI) agents are set to become a dominant feature in enterprise applications. The business and technology insights company predicts that 40% of enterprise applications will be integrated with task-specific AI agents by 2026, a significant increase from less than 5% today. The firm also projects that agentic AI will account for roughly 30% of enterprise application software revenue by 2035, climbing to over $450 billion from 2% in 2025.

The report highlights a rapid evolution of AI agents, moving from basic assistants to independent, task-specific tools. Gartner identifies a five-stage progression, beginning with AI assistants embedded in nearly every enterprise application by the end of 2025. These assistants, while still reliant on human input, are considered the precursors to true agentic AI.

According to Anushree Verma, a Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, CIOs and technology leaders have a crucial three- to six-month window to develop their strategy for adopting agentic AI. “AI agents are evolving rapidly, progressing from basic assistants embedded in enterprise applications today to task-specific agents by 2026 and ultimately multiagent ecosystems by 2029,” Verma stated. “This shift transforms enterprise applications from tools supporting individual productivity into platforms enabling seamless autonomous collaboration and dynamic workflow orchestration.”

By 2026, these assistants are expected to evolve into task-specific AI agents with independent capabilities. The report emphasizes the need for strong security and governance at this stage as AI agents begin to handle complex tasks with minimal human intervention. “As AI agents begin acting independently and handle tasks ranging from routine development to complex incident response without human involvement, leaders must ensure strong security and governance,” Verma added.

Looking further ahead, the report outlines a future where collaborative AI agents work together within applications by 2027, followed by AI agent ecosystems that operate across multiple applications by 2028. By 2029, Gartner predicts at least half of knowledge workers will need to develop new skills to work with, manage, and create AI agents for complex tasks. Verma concluded, “Early adopters will set the standard for the new normal while others risk falling behind as humans begin relying on AI agents as much as their smartphones.”