Fortune describes lessons from companies that have already tried agentic AI at scale and adjusted their approach after initial mistakes. The article was published on 29 September 2026.
Key takeaways
- Teams making progress start with the business processes that need to be redesigned, rather than the number of agents.
- The best results emerge when IT and business jointly define the goal instead of working in separate tracks.
- Agentic AI makes sense only when leadership ties it firmly to measurable ROI.
- Successful examples show the value of deliberately narrowing the focus to a few agents that solve a clearly defined task better than the alternatives.
What this means for CEOs
The article supports the conclusion that agentic AI needs operating discipline rather than experimental chaos. CEOs should begin with one process, one outcome and one accountability model.