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Expectations and Realities: The Slow Road to Agentic AI ROI

In a recent survey conducted by NLX, an innovative AI platform specializing in advanced conversational applications, a significant insight into the expectations surrounding agentic AI has emerged. The survey, which targeted executives from large organizations, indicates that many corporate leaders foresee a lengthy timeline for realizing returns on their AI investments.

Survey Highlights

• - Primary Insights: According to the findings, a notable 63% of executives expect agentic AI to generate a positive return on investment (ROI) within a 3 to 7-year timeframe. This statistic presents a stark contrast to the common narrative that AI technologies would yield quick benefits.
• - Customer-Facing AI: Approximately 57% of participants stated that they plan to introduce customer-facing agentic AI solutions by 2025. However, this optimism is tinged with caution, as many executives do not anticipate seeing financial benefits outweighing costs for at least three years.
• - Headcount Decisions: Notably, 50% of respondents indicated they would not reduce headcount as a result of deploying agentic AI over the next two years. This suggests a more conservative approach to integrating AI into the workforce compared to some expectations of widespread automation.

A Nuanced Perspective

Andrei Papancea, co-founder and CEO of NLX, weighed in on these findings, highlighting the discrepancy between the anticipated speed of ROI and the more muted expectations of executives. He noted, "While we've only begun to scratch the surface of agentic AI, many expectations fall well short of what's possible. If implemented correctly, organizations should see returns in under a year, but if the problems being targeted with AI are too trivial or poorly defined, the expected impact diminishes."

Intriguingly, although 45% of executives see agentic AI delivering returns in three to five years, 30% believe that in the next two years, they could substitute human roles with autonomous AI platforms. This indicates a potential tension between hope for technological advancement and the reality of practical implementation.

Additionally, 18% of surveyed executives theorize it could take five to seven years for agentic AI to provide substantial returns, suggesting a broader need for education and planning when it comes to AI integration.

The Road Ahead

The path to effectively implementing agentic AI seems to involve careful consideration of the business problems that AI should solve. Executives are cautioned against opting for small, relatively inconsequential problems merely for the sake of a safer implementation. As Papancea pointed out, focusing on more significant challenges, while still managing risk, could lead to far greater organizational impacts.

Methodology and Relevance

The survey conducted by QuestionPro in February 2025 gathered responses from a pool of 100 executives, all holding director-level positions or higher, from a mix of large U.S.-based companies. Among them, responses came from organizations of various sizes, including those with over 10,000 employees. This diversity in responses lends weight to the findings, showcasing a broad spectrum of executive sentiment in the realm of AI.

NLX serves many of the world's most esteemed brands—including Comcast, Red Bull, and United Airlines—highlighting its influence in shaping conversational experiences and advancing AI usage across industries.

Conclusion

As the industry moves forward, the emphasis on setting realistic expectations around agentic AI's ROI will be crucial. Understanding the time required for true integration and benefits can help shape strategies that not only utilize AI effectively but also embrace the technology's transformative potential. Only by aligning expectations with reality can organizations truly prepare to harness the full capabilities of agentic AI in the coming years.