Many organizations are eager to implement agentic AI, but few are adequately prepared.

A recent McKinsey article, Reimagining tech infrastructure for (and with) agentic AI, highlights a key challenge: most infrastructure was designed for human-led operations, and that is no longer sufficient in the agentic era.

Four questions to answer first

Before investing in AI agents, consider the following:

  • Is your operational data clean and reliable, or are there inconsistencies and gaps?
  • Are your core processes documented and repeatable, or do they live in people's heads?
  • Do you have secure APIs connecting critical systems, or are those systems isolated?
  • Is your IT governance robust enough to manage the actions of autonomous systems?

If the answer to any of those is "no" or "I'm not sure," agentic AI won't solve your problems. It will amplify them.

Successful AI adoption will favor organizations that establish a strong foundation, not just those that move quickly.

Need help applying this in your organization?

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Originally shared on LinkedIn. Follow The Practical CIO for new posts.

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