Companies Set Clear Limits on AI Autonomy in Corporate Planning, BARC Study Finds
Efficiency is the main reason companies invest in AI and Agentic AI for corporate planning. 83 percent cite higher efficiency and productivity as a driver, far ahead of any other reason. Yet only 13 percent are comfortable letting AI make routine decisions on its own. These are key findings from the new BARC study “Agentic AI in Corporate Planning: The Dawn of a New Era“, based on a global online survey of 312 professionals.
For now, companies focus AI on analytical tasks. Anomaly and risk detection is the most frequently cited use case at 54 percent, followed by scenario simulation and what-if analysis at 47 percent. Only 10 percent say AI already has a significant impact on their planning today. Another 72 percent expect this to happen within the next three years.
Key findings:
- 83 percent cite efficiency and productivity as a reason to invest in AI
- 54 percent let AI operate within defined limits, while 26 percent accept only AI recommendations that humans review
- 21 percent of best-in-class companies already see a significant AI impact on planning, compared with 2 percent of laggards
“The results point to a pragmatic path for AI in corporate planning. Companies want to relieve their planning teams and get to reliable insights faster. That requires well-defined use cases, trustworthy data and clear accountability. Strategic decisions and final approvals remain with people, while AI takes on preparatory and recurring tasks,” says Dr. Christian Fuchs, Senior Analyst and co-author of the study.
About the study
“Agentic AI in Corporate Planning: The Dawn of a New Era” examines expectations, use cases and limits of AI in corporate planning. It is based on a global online survey of 312 professionals, 80 percent of them based in Europe and 14 percent in North America. The study was sponsored by Board, Jedox and Lineos. Its authors are Robert Tischler, Dr. Christian Fuchs and Kelley Lynn Kassa.
Free download: https://barc.com/research/agentic-ai-in-corporate-planning/
