81% of Tech Leaders Optimistic as Agentic AI Investment Surges

The poll also shows that AI investment in general continues to gain momentum, with 92% of technology leaders expecting to increase AI spending in 2025.

Ernst & Young LLP has released its Technology Pulse Poll, showing increased confidence and investment in agentic AI among technology leaders. The poll, which was conducted in April 2025 and surveyed more than 500 technology leaders, has shown that 48% are already adopting or fully deploying agentic AI – with investment rising to match this trend.

Half of the respondents stated that more than 50% of AI deployment will be autonomous in their company in the next 24 months. This momentum is backed by strong executive confidence, as 81% of respondents report feeling optimistic about AI’s potential to help achieve their organisations’ goals within the next 12 months.

“Technology companies continue to set the pace for rapid agentic AI adoption. Against an uncertain macroeconomic and trade environment, executives are still overwhelmingly positive on the business value that agentic AI can deliver,” said James Brundage, EY Global and Americas Technology Sector Leader. 

“Our survey shows reaffirmations in ambitious AI spending and a move from pilots to production, which are other indicators of the positive trendline for these leaders. That said, despite the optimism they’re feeling, there’s still tremendous pressure for these technology leaders to demonstrate return on investment now through measurement and tangible top-line and bottom-line results.”

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The poll also shows that AI investment in general continues to gain momentum, with 92% of technology leaders expecting to increase AI spending in 2025, a 10% increase from March 2024. Further, more than half (58%) of executive respondents believe their organisation is ahead of competitors in AI investment, signalling a clear shift toward prioritising agentic AI in long-term business planning.

“High tech will always be the early adopters, and this latest pulse poll underscores that reality. The majority of technology companies feel they are ahead of their competition, which speaks to the pace of innovation that technology leaders are driving,” said Ken Englund, EY Americas Technology Sector Growth Leader. 

“However, this is more perception than reality, since these companies tend to have a higher opinion of their progress than is statistically possible. It is still very early in the AI lifecycle, so it remains to be seen where these companies stand against the competition, and an outside-in view will be a critical measuring stick.”

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