The majority of executives believe that 2026 will mark the moment AI experimentation makes way for agentic transformation as companies prepare to deploy autonomous AI at scale to handle knowledge work, boost productivity, and reshape workforce structures.

Surveying 5,000 executives across the UK, US, Europe, and Japan, the language AI platform DeepL found that 69% of business leaders expect agentic AI to transform their operations in the year ahead, making the tech the biggest operational shift in business since the cloud.

Nearly half (44%) of execs predict major transformation from agentic AI in the year ahead, while 25% claim it’s already underway, with projects fuelled by growing confidence in ROI and efficiency metrics (22%), workforce adaptability (18%), and enterprise readiness (18%).  

DeepL found that only 7% of business leaders believe AI agents will not change their operations, a far cry from the 52% that expect AI to contribute more to their company’s growth than any other technology next year.

The study found that the UK leads (80%) in measurable business performance from AI, followed by Germany (78%), the US (71%), and France (70%), while Japan lags at just 35%, suggesting that despite the saturation of AI among global enterprises, readiness is still uneven.

Among the primary challenges facing wider AI agent deployment were cost (16%), workforce preparedness (13%), and technology maturity (12%), though businesses are trying to speed the process along where they can, with 52% saying AI skills will be mandatory for most new hires from now on.

“In 2026, AI agents will end the grind of context-switching and repetitive tasks, letting people focus on what actually moves businesses forward,” said Jarek Kutylowski, CEO and founder of DeepL.

“AI agents are no longer experimental, they are inevitable. The next phase is embedding them deeply into how we work.” 

DeepL said that its research also highlights that language and voice AI tools have become critical layers of enterprise infrastructure.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of global businesses plan to increase investment in language AI in 2026 (led by the UK at 76%), with multilingual communication and content generation seen as a pillar of cross-border growth.

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In contrast, Japan (38%) remains comparatively conservative, signalling slower momentum but still reflecting growing interest among more than one in three business leaders.

Meanwhile, over half (54%) of business leaders say real-time voice translation will be essential next year, with demand driven by advances in live voice technology (46%), customer expectations (40%), and cross-market expansion (38%).

Again, the UK is taking the lead in early reliance on these tools (48%), followed by France (33%), with Japan remaining hesitant, with just 11% of businesses relying on these tools so far.

“Real-time voice translation is the next layer of global communication,” added Kutylowski. “When people can speak naturally and can be fully understood, collaboration accelerates.”