Enterprise AI Ambitions Clash with Operational Realities, Celonis Report Finds — Celonis SE

Event summary

85% of organizations aim to become 'agentic enterprises' within three years, per Celonis' 2026 Process Optimization Report.
76% admit current processes hinder AI adoption, with 82% warning of ROI failure without process understanding.
Top barriers: lack of internal expertise (47%) and difficulty in contextualizing AI (45%).
58% of leaders report departmental silos blocking seamless AI deployment.
90% of organizations are exploring multi-agent systems for complex decision-making.

The big picture

Celonis' research highlights a critical disconnect between enterprises' aggressive AI ambitions and their operational preparedness. As companies race to deploy AI agents, the lack of process optimization and departmental alignment threatens to undermine ROI. This gap underscores the broader challenge of integrating AI into complex business environments, where operational context is as crucial as data itself.

What we're watching

Process Intelligence: How Celonis' emphasis on Process Intelligence as a 'common language' for AI will shape enterprise AI strategies.
Operational Readiness: The pace at which organizations can bridge the gap between AI ambitions and operational capabilities.
Competitive Dynamics: Whether the urgency around AI adoption will force structural changes in departmental collaboration.