In the previous article, From zero to autonomous: Redesigning operations with agentic AI, I explored how agentic AI radically changes end-to-end business processes to be agent-native through zero-based process redesign (ZBPR).

Now, let’s move from theory to practice: what happens when organizations put these ideas to work? What benefits do they unlock? And what hurdles stand in the way?

Starting from a blank slate with agentic AI isn’t just an upgrade – it’s a transformation. When done right, it delivers unprecedented automation, agility, and intelligence. But the journey is far from simple. Companies must overcome integration headaches, cultural resistance, and the complexity of legacy systems.

The table below highlights the dual reality: the game-changing benefits and the tough challenges organizations face on the road to becoming truly autonomous enterprises.

BenefitsChallenges
Efficiency gains

AI agents operate 24/7, eliminating manual hand-offs and reducing cycle times significantly.		Orchestration effort

Coordinating AI agents, existing automations, and human interventions to deliver seamless end-to-end business processes requires complex workflow alignment, dependency management, and governance.
Cost reduction and productivity

Automation and ZBPR eliminate redundant tasks, enabling double-digit cost savings.		High initial investment

Building a multi-agent ecosystem demands cross-functional collaboration and upfront resources.
Improved compliance and insights

Embedded rules and real-time dashboards enhance monitoring and continuous improvement.		Governance, risk, and ethics

Autonomous decisions require oversight, fairness checks, and alignment with company values.
Accuracy and consistency

AI agents reduce clerical errors and ensure consistent application of rules, improving compliance and auditability.		Human escalation rules

Defining when AI should defer to humans is critical to balance efficiency and risk.
Better employee experience

Humans focus on strategic and creative tasks, improving morale and job satisfaction. 		Change management and culture

Automation shifts roles and may trigger resistance; clear communication and training are essential.
Scalability and flexibility

Processes scale easily with more agent instances; updates are centrally managed.		Legacy system integration

Connecting AI agents with outdated systems lacking APIs can be complex and require strong data governance.

The power of ZBPR + agentic AI

The benefits compound when zero-based thinking precedes automation. Automating the current state may improve speed but not necessarily yield huge savings. Some studies found that many early Robotic Process Automation (RPA) programs had mixed results, because they automated suboptimal workflows. But when processes are redesigned for optimal flow and then automated, the gains are much larger.

For example, a conventional customer-support automation might deploy a chatbot to deflect a low percentage of workload. In contrast, we redefined a zero-based, end-to-end agentic approach for the contact center of a US insurance provider: an AI agent triages and handles half of issues end-to-end, a cluster of specialized agents handle another 40 percent with minimal delay, and only 10 percent reach human agents. The result: a 50 percent reduction in cost per interaction and dramatically faster response times.

One pharmaceutical enterprise adopted agentic AI in a reimagined compliance workflow and saw processes run five times faster and at half the previous cost, illustrating why radical automation is so compelling for forward-thinking businesses.

Redesigning purchase-to-pay with an agent-native approach, where autonomous agents orchestrate decisions while human oversight ensures trust and control.

The path to such transformation does come with its share of complexities, yet these are not roadblocks but design challenges which can be overcome with proper planning and strategy. Many organizations have navigated them successfully by involving stakeholders early, running controlled experiments, and expanding the scope of automation incrementally.

What this means for you

Zero-based process redesign powered by agentic AI isn’t just an efficiency play – it’s a game changer. Think faster workflows, dramatic cost reductions, and scalability that redefines what’s possible. Realizing these gains, however, requires overcoming key challenges across integration, data quality, and change management.

Organizations that manage these aspects effectively report three to five times higher ROI and major efficiency gains, supported by robust governance and workforce alignment. The bottom line: with careful planning and strong executive support, organizations achieve high automation rates while maintaining control, agility, and trust.