By 2025, a number of global companies had already "employed" or utilized artificial intelligence (AI) agents.
This is evident from the report AI in action released by the Capgemini Research Institute, a French research firm.
AI agents are artificial intelligence software capable of collecting data, detecting signals, making plans and decisions, and performing tasks independently without human intervention.
"As an evolution from technologies like robotic process automation and machine learning, AI agents can, perceive, reason, and act in changing environments to achieve their goals," Capgemini stated in its report.
In 2025, companies already using AI agents generally operated in the high-tech industrial sector, with a global user proportion of 45%.
AI agents are also beginning to be widely used in the manufacturing, consumer products, and energy and utilities sectors.
Here's a breakdown of the percentage of respondents who had already used AI agents in 2025 by industry sector:
- High-tech: 45%
- Manufacturing: 28%
- Consumer products: 25%
- Energy and utilities: 21%
- Pharmaceuticals and healthcare: 19%
- Retail: 18%
- Banking: 18%
- Automotive: 16%
- Insurance: 14%
- Aerospace and defense: 9%
- Media and entertainment: 7%
- Telecommunications: 5%
Capgemini also found that 94% of respondents had already or intended to develop the use of AI agents for procurement planning and supply chains.
Furthermore, 91% had already or intended to use AI agents for customer support, 89% for financial planning and analysis, 84% for employee recruitment, and 74% for performance management.
Capgemini obtained this data from a survey of 1,527 company executives across 15 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
These respondents worked for companies with annual revenues of at least US$1 billion. The survey was conducted in February-March 2025.