IBM’s orchestration strategy connects AI agents as Gartner predicts 33% adoption

IBM is positioning itself as a leader in agentic AI orchestration, emphasizing integrated enterprise solutions over isolated AI implementations. The company’s approach focuses on connecting AI agents across business workflows through orchestration layers, aiming to transform individual productivity gains into systematic enterprise-wide advantages as Gartner, a research and advisory firm, predicts 33% of enterprise software will include agentic AI by 2028.

The big picture: While many enterprises struggle to scale AI agent benefits beyond individual workflows, IBM’s orchestration-focused strategy addresses fragmentation issues that prevent meaningful productivity gains.

• The company emphasizes an “open, hybrid approach” that manages both custom and third-party AI agents through unified experiences.
• Unlike competitors, IBM prioritizes deep integration with critical enterprise platforms like SAP SuccessFactors, Salesforce, and ServiceNow.

Why this matters: Agentic AI deployment without proper orchestration can lead to increased fragmentation and sprawl, making it harder to achieve measurable business value across diverse IT environments.

• Gartner estimates that by 2028, 15% of day-to-day work decisions could be made autonomously through AI agents.
• The orchestration layer ensures “the right data to be sent to the right agents at the right time, encapsulated with the proper context and security models.”

In plain English: Think of AI agents like specialized employees who can handle specific tasks automatically—one might process expense reports while another schedules meetings. Without orchestration, these digital workers operate in isolation, creating inefficiencies. IBM’s orchestration layer acts like a smart manager that coordinates these AI agents, ensuring they share information and work together seamlessly across different business systems.

How IBM’s approach works: The company’s orchestration layer facilitates integration, communication, and information sharing between AI agents across diverse business systems.

• Multiple agents can work collectively to solve complex problems rather than operating in isolation.
• The system manages heterogeneous business applications and data silos through seamless integration capabilities.

Real-world results: IBM has implemented its orchestrated AI approach within its own organization, serving as “client zero” for the technology.

• AskHR automates more than 80 common HR processes and answers 94% of employee inquiries without human intervention.
• AI digital assistants now resolve 70% of customer support inquiries, accelerating resolution time by 26% and boosting customer satisfaction.
• AskIT addresses 80% of IBM’s top IT issues through self-service capabilities using AI and natural language processing.

What they’re saying: “IBM is focused not just on building an ecosystem of things that fly in formation, but on integration with critical enterprise platforms,” explains Matt Sanchez, Vice President of Product for watsonx Orchestrate at IBM.