Autonomous AI shapes the future

The rapid development and spread of AI is prompting companies to take action: 69% of managers worldwide see the need to fundamentally reshape their technology landscape. German companies share this view with 68 percent. AI is set to take on several key roles in the future: as a development partner in IT, as a personal brand ambassador, in the control of robotic systems and as a catalyst for seamless collaboration between humans and machines.

Christina Raab, Chairwoman of the Accenture Management Board (DACH) © Accenture

"With Technology Vision 2025, we are showing how AI will act independently with and on behalf of people in the future, what effects this will have and how companies can use them to their advantage," explains Christina Raab, CEO of Accenture in the DACH region. Trustworthiness is the foundation: AI systems must work precisely, predictably, consistently and comprehensibly in addition to being used responsibly. 77 percent of international managers (Germany: 78 percent) believe that the realization of the benefits of AI is directly linked to the corresponding trust in this technology. "Autonomous artificial intelligence will fundamentally change our working world," adds Tobias Regenfuß, Technology Lead at Accenture DACH. "The key to success lies in systematically building trust in this technology." The Accenture study 'Technology Vision 2025' divides the impact of autonomous AI into four areas.

Binary Big Bang

Thanks to advanced language models, communication between humans and machines is possible on a new scale for the first time, which is changing software development in particular. AI-supported development tools are transforming traditional programmers into holistic system architects, making software development accessible to a wider range of users. The trend is clearly moving towards dynamic, AI-controlled systems: Flexible, generative AI solutions are replacing rigid architectures and intelligent multi-agent systems are taking over complex business processes.

The international management level is convinced: 77% expect their IT system landscape to be fundamentally redesigned by AI agents. In Germany, approval is only slightly lower at 74%. However, there are clear differences when it comes to specific implementation. Internationally, 40 percent of managers expect an increase in the use of AI agents over the next three years, whereas in Germany the figure is ten percent lower. Surprisingly, according to this statement: while 48 percent of respondents globally expect more flexibility through AI, the figure in Germany is 56 percent. German companies therefore see great potential in AI systems, but are rather hesitant when it comes to the expected implementation.

New customer experience

With new linguistic and generative capabilities, artificial intelligence is becoming the central shaper of the interface between companies and their customers. In order to differentiate themselves from the competition, brands must use AI in a targeted manner to create outstanding customer experiences. However, 80 percent of managers also see this as a challenge: the use of chatbots and avatars based on the same large language models can lead to a perceived lack of differentiation at the interface with customers - in Germany, as many as 83 percent share this concern. Nevertheless, the majority are confident: 77% of respondents see highly personalized AI experiences as a promising solution. With the help of a "digital mastermind" that has been trained with brand elements such as company-specific culture, values and terms, the brand essence can be transported into the digital AI world. The potential of this AI-supported personalization is considerable. However, its success depends largely on customer trust. Globally, 77 percent of managers consider actively building trust in AI-driven communication to be crucial; in Germany, this figure is slightly lower at 70 percent.

LLMs - Robotics at the next level

AI meets the physical world. In the next few years, AI-controlled robots will interact much more autonomously with the physical world. Flexible general-purpose robots can quickly become specialized robots by learning new tasks. The Kion Group, for example, is already working with Accenture and Nvidia to optimize AI-controlled robots for warehouse activities. Robots are increasingly developing autonomous skills and will interact more directly with humans in their working environment in the future. 80 percent of managers believe that communication in natural language will lead to more trust and better cooperation between humans and machines. The more cautious assessment in Germany is remarkable: despite its strong role in industrial automation, only 72% of managers here share this optimistic view.

Humans and AI form a positive learning loop

The more people use AI, the more powerful it becomes - which in turn increases its attractiveness for new users. Unlike traditional automation solutions, this new generation of AI systems can continue to evolve, creating ever-increasing added value for users and companies. Globally, 80 percent of managers see promoting a positive attitude towards human-AI collaboration and reducing fears of automation as a top priority (Germany: 74 percent). Further training plays a key role here: 68% of international managers consider AI training to be essential over the next three years. This figure is significantly higher in Germany at 77% - a clear signal of the importance of training in the German market. However, there is again a gap between aspiration and implementation: while 47% of managers globally plan to give their employees comprehensive access to AI tools, the figure in Germany is only 32%. This reluctance could slow down the digital transformation of German companies and thus their competitiveness.

About the study
The information for the 2025 report was collected by an external advisory board of more than two dozen experts from academia, business and the public sector. The global primary research included two parallel surveys: more than 4,000 executives from 21 industries and 28 countries, and more than 12,000 consumers surveyed from October through December 2024. All results of Technology Vision 2025 are available on Accenture's website.