Capgemini predicts that by 2025, artificial intelligence-driven agents will collaborate within a “multi-agent AI” framework to collectively tackle tasks. This system involves a group of agents working together in a distributed and cooperative manner to achieve objectives, as described by Capgemini.
In an interview with CNBC, Pascal Brier, Capgemini’s chief innovation officer, noted ongoing discussions among companies regarding agent technologies. He emphasized that the upcoming year will likely witness the practical application of multiple autonomous agents. Capgemini defines AI agents as technology capable of independent operation, strategic planning, goal pursuit, and executing intricate workflows with minimal human intervention—a form of AI designed to handle tasks discreetly in the background.
According to Pascal Brier, Capgemini’s chief innovation officer, the United States is leading in the advancement of this technology, with Europe trailing behind. Capgemini’s recent report, “Harnessing the Value of Generative AI,” reveals that an overwhelming 82% of surveyed companies with revenues exceeding $1 billion plan to integrate AI agents within the next one to three years, while only 7% have no such plans. Brier categorizes AI agents into two types: individual agents performing specific tasks autonomously, and multi-agent systems where agents collaborate internally.
Brier also described the evolution of AI from its initial phase in 2022, focused on understanding prompts and large language models (LLMs), to today’s integration of generative AI. This new generation of AI emphasizes building knowledge engines and leveraging generative AI to interact with them, positioning AI agents as substitutes or co-pilots in performing tasks on behalf of humans.
Capgemini’s recent findings reveal that 71% of organizations foresee AI agents driving automation, while 64% expect these technologies to free human workers from repetitive tasks, allowing them to concentrate on more valuable activities such as enhancing customer experience.
The Adoption Gap in Generative AI
Capgemini has reported a significant increase in the adoption of generative AI, with the percentage of organizations integrating these technologies rising from 6% in 2023 to 24% this year. However, this surge in adoption is more pronounced among large enterprises, with smaller firms lagging behind.
According to the report, only 10% of companies with annual revenues between $1 billion and $5 billion are implementing generative AI, compared to 49% of those with revenues exceeding $20 billion. Brier from Capgemini explains that larger companies are conducting more extensive generative AI experiments, allowing them to achieve quicker results due to their greater investments.
Industry-wise, the adoption rates also vary. In the aerospace and defense sector, 88% of organizations have invested in generative AI, whereas in retail, the figure drops to 66%.
Capgemini’s report underscores that larger companies are leveraging their scale to experiment more broadly and invest more heavily in generative AI, thereby gaining faster insights and results compared to their smaller counterparts.
