Scaling intelligence: The Rise of Agentic AI in Asset-Intensive Industries

How AI Agents are reshaping operations, strategy and workforce transformation.

Asset-intensive industries are accelerating digital transformation, and Agentic AI is quickly becoming a key enabler of safer, more efficient, and more resilient operations. As organisations shift from isolated pilots to coordinated, enterprise-wide adoption, they must address trust, governance, data quality, and workforce readiness to unlock full value.

A July 2025 Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Kongsberg Digital surveyed 454 technology leaders to assess the current state of Agentic AI. The research shows rising strategic interest, but most deployments remain narrow and task-based. To scale successfully, organisations need to balance innovation with control - ensuring Agentic AI systems are explainable, secure, and aligned with long-term operational and sustainability goals.

Inside, you'll discover:

• Are organisations truly ready for Agentic AI, when only 37% are prioritising frontline and workflow automation use cases today?

• Can advanced multi-agent systems succeed without the strong cybersecurity, data governance, and workforce training that over half of organisations are only now beginning to build?

• How can Agentic AI earn trust when 86% of organisations say explainability remains their biggest barrier?

• What happens as firms mature and shift from accountability concerns to deeper challenges like data quality and interoperability?

• Are enterprises prepared for a future where AI becomes a strategic collaborator, demanding new levels of governance, culture change, and workforce engagement?

• And in high-risk environments, how can organisations scale AI safely without the human oversight needed to understand and audit AI decisions?