AI Budgets Go Mainstream As 88% Of Firms Invest In Tech: Report

A innovative new report released today reveals that Artificial Intelligence (AI) budgets have firmly entered the mainstream, with a staggering 88% of global enterprises now dedicating specific funds to AI initiatives. This significant shift indicates a move beyond experimental phases, with nearly two-thirds of these firms allocating over 15% of their total technology budgets to AI projects.

The report, titled “Enterprise Experiments with AI Agents – 2025 Global Trends,” compiled by top industry bodies, paints a clear picture of AI’s burgeoning role in corporate strategies worldwide. The substantial increase in dedicated AI spending underscores a growing recognition among businesses that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a critical component for competitive advantage and operational efficiency.

A key highlight of the report is the notable pivot from early experimentation with Generative AI towards building more sophisticated, goal-oriented AI systems, often referred to as AI agents. This major investment push signifies a desire to leverage AI for more active tasks, capable of performing operations and making decisions under human oversight. While internal applications, such as IT operations, HR, and finance, are currently top the adoption of these AI agents (with 62% of companies experimenting), their external uses, like customer service, are expected to expand rapidly. In fact, 88% of companies plan to specifically budget for Agentic AI systems in 2025.

However, the report also emphasizes a cautious approach, with approximately 77% of firms designing Agentic AI systems with a “human-in-the-loop” model to ensure oversight and adaptability. Only 46% are currently testing fully autonomous agents, highlighting a balanced strategy prioritizing control and safety alongside innovation.

The impact of this mainstreaming of AI budgets is expected to be profound. Businesses are strengthening their AI foundations through investments in Generative AI tools, robust data infrastructure, and flexible processes. Many companies have already established specialized AI teams and are collaborating with advanced platforms, signifying a complete organizational commitment to AI deployment. The report concludes that companies anticipate AI agents will be instrumental in enabling faster decision-making and enhancing responsiveness to dynamic market changes, solidifying AI’s position as an indispensable driver of future business growth.