By Gertrude Van Horn, SVP & CIO, Cien.ai

“The defining shift of 2026 isn’t that AI is getting smarter; it’s that AI is getting a job.”

– Gertrude Van Horn, SVP & CIO, Cien.ai

By 2026, the CRM landscape has shifted from Assistive AI (Copilots that write emails) to Agentic AI (Autonomous “Digital Teammates” that execute workflows). Agentic AI has moved beyond the experimental phase to become a strategic necessity for modern revenue teams. 

The Boardroom Dilemma: The AI Mandate

Every CEO now faces a formal AI Mandate: show measurable impact without operational risk. Yet, Deloitte and KPMG report that only 11%–25% of firms have successfully moved AI agents into production. Most remain trapped in “AI R&D Purgatory,” unable to bridge the gap between a pilot and a real business outcome. 

While 66% of organizations claim readiness, the transition from “Systems of Record” to “Systems of Action” is exposing a massive hidden risk.

The $1 Trillion Risk: The “Data Integrity Wall”

Gartner predicts that 40% of agentic AI projects will be cancelled by 2028 due to cost and risk. The culprit? Untrusted data. An autonomous agent is only as effective as the fuel it consumes. When agents are deployed into CRM “data graveyards,” they don’t just fail—they hallucinate, creating a massive liability.

How to Avoid the 40% Failure Rate

1. Data Integrity Over Agent Logic: Ensure your AI trains on “High-Integrity” data. If the foundation is toxic, the agent’s reasoning will be flawed.
2. Agentic Advisory First: Start with AI that surfaces the “Why” (Advisory) before moving to total autonomous execution.
3. Systems of Action: Stop “Dashboard Drowning.” Ensure your AI proactively identifies “Surgical Interventions” that drive efficiency.

Cien.ai: Your “Safe Bet” for the AI Mandate

In an era where AI deployments take months to show ROI, Cien is the industry’s fastest shortcut to fulfilling the AI Mandate. We’re proven at scale with B2B, Private Equity and global Management Consulting firms.  We replace months of “Discovery” with an autonomous performance layer:

• Enhanced, AI-Ready data overnight 
• Insights in 5 Days: A diagnostic “MRI” of your revenue engine.
• Growth Plan in 30 Days: Targeted ROI identification.
• Payback in 60 Days: Measurable revenue lift.

Earlier this month, we launched Cien Agentic—your new “Digital Colleague” that identifies $1M+ in value leaks in days, not months.

Stop experimenting and start executing. Ready to put your Digital Colleague to work?

Contact us at Sales@Cien.ai.

About Cien Agentic: Your New Digital Colleague

Earlier this month, we officially introduced Cien Agentic—the industry’s first “Digital Colleague” designed to tackle the essential GTM growth work that teams never have time to finish. Cien Agentic operates as an autonomous extension of your RevOps team, delivering deep insights in 5 days and a growth plan in under 30. 

Contact us at Sales@cien.ai.

About the Cien.ai Growth Essentials Series

This article is part of our Growth Essentials Series, inspired by our work with B2B executives, GTM consultants, and PE operating partners. These articles focus on the non-technical aspects of improving GTM performance. If you want to dig into the technical details of how to measure the concepts we use here, check out our Practical RevOps Analysis Series.