Agentic Automation: 6 Data-Based Predictions for 2026
The “delta” between 2024 and 2025 reveals where the industry is heading. Here are my projections for next year.
In the previous installments of this series, we unpacked the major standouts of the 2025 report and the practical actions you can take today. Now, I want to look forward. By comparing the 2024 and 2025 editions of the State of the Agentic Automation Professional report, we can see more than just a trendline — we can see the signals of a fundamental shift.
Relying on these observable deltas and directional indicators, I see six key trajectories forming. Here are my predictions for what the automation landscape will look like in 2026.
1. Agentic Automation Becomes a Strategic Pillar
We are moving past the era of individual task automation. By 2026, agentic workflows will likely sit at the organizational strategy level, driving core business outcomes rather than just IT efficiencies.
- Prediction: The share of organizations stating “agentic automation is a strategic priority” will rise from 13% to ≥25%.
- The Evidence: High interest (96%), strong adoption (80%), and rising leadership support suggest the market is moving rapidly from exploration to strategy.
2. Daily Agent-Workload Cadence Increases
The data suggests “agentic” is graduating from experimental to operational. Expect the daily volume of work handled by autonomous agents to spike significantly as trust and stability improve.
- Prediction: Professionals building or running AI agents daily/weekly will exceed 50% (up from 38% today).
- The Evidence: Confidence in agentic skills is already at 67% among experimenters. As toolchains consolidate (UiPath + orchestration components), operational rhythms will standardize.
3. The Skills Stack Consolidates: Python + Orchestration
The “jack-of-all-trades” era is refining into a specific profile. The 2026 professional will need deep proficiency in Python combined with advanced orchestration capabilities (Maestro, etc.) to manage complex multi-agent environments.
- Prediction: Python usage will continue to grow, while LLM provider diversification expands (OpenAI leading, with gains from Gemini, Anthropic, and DeepSeek).
- The Evidence: The 2025 report already flagged a massive 16% jump in Python usage. New products (Agent Builder) are accelerating this shift.
4. Perception Shifts from “Tool” to “Platform”
As attributes like governance and reliability strengthen, confidence in building business-critical systems on these platforms will hit an all-time high.
- Prediction: We will see further gains (+5–10pp) in perceived user-friendliness, scalability, and AI features.
- The Evidence: The 2025 report showed double-digit gains year-over-year in these metrics. Continued product investment will likely sustain this trajectory.
5. CX Dominates, but Supply Chain & Legal Rebound
Customer Experience (CX) will continue its dominance as the primary value driver. However, watch for a modest recovery in Supply Chain and Legal use cases.
- Prediction: CX/Contact Center use cases will grow further. Supply chain and legal compliance will rebound as agentic governance patterns become clearer.
- The Evidence: Maturing controls around security and compliance (top concerns in 2025) will finally unlock these “harder,” risk-averse domains.
6. Certification Penetration Ticks Up Again
After a period of flattening, I predict a resurgence in formal certifications. As “Agentic” workflows introduce higher risks, organizations will return to demanding validated expertise.
- Prediction: Overall certification prevalence will grow from 63% to ~68–70%.
- The Evidence: Agentic complexity incentivizes credentials. Organizations need a way to signal readiness and governance alignment, and certifications are the standard proxy for trust.
The Bottom Line
The shift to Agentic isn’t coming; it’s here. The “delta” between 2024 and 2025 has given us the roadmap. Now, it is up to us to navigate it.
Which of these shifts are you already seeing in your daily work? Are you seeing a push for Python, or is Governance the bigger conversation? Let me know in the comments.
You can download the full ‘State of the Agentic Automation Professional’ 2025 Report here.
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