Digital Revolution – Part Two

Economic Unit

When companies were asked how many different business software tools they use, most reported using more than five.
Specifically, 42% use fewer than five, 37% use between five and ten, and 15% use eleven or more.
Again, there is a significant difference across sectors — larger companies with over 250 employees are far more likely to use a greater number of software tools, with 33% stating they use more than twenty.

Most companies use more than five business software tools.
Question: Approximately how many different business software applications does your organization use? (n = 1,605)

This fragmentation of tools helps explain why, despite growing AI adoption, many small and mid-sized businesses still feel they aren’t fully leveraging technology’s potential.
Most AI tools are designed to solve a specific problem and operate independently.
For instance, an accounting tool may simplify expense tracking but cannot analyze sales and inventory data to forecast future cash flow issues.
The result is a patchwork of disconnected solutions that rarely form a truly integrated system.

The next generation of AI promises to move beyond these isolated solutions, advancing toward Agentic AI — systems that act more like active virtual team members rather than standalone tools.

Unlike individual apps, AI agents can connect workflows, integrate data, and act proactively across the business to achieve goals.

Connecting the dots: AI agents can manage entire processes end-to-end — for example, guiding the customer journey from initial contact to final payment — because they are embedded in workflows and not confined to isolated data silos.