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ZDNET's key takeaways
Most IT leaders (82%) believe that data integration is a big AI challenge.
Agentic AI pioneers use 10% more software applications.
IT leaders will spend 19% of their IT budgets on AI agents this year.
Organizations are rapidly adopting autonomous systems. The average enterprise now manages 957 applications -- rising to 1,057 for those furthest along in their agentic AI journey -- with only 27% of these applications currently connected, creating a significant challenge for IT leaders aiming to meet their near-term AI implementation goals.
That's one of the key takeaways from the 2026 Connectivity Benchmark Report from Salesforce, MuleSoft, and Deloitte Digital. The eleventh annual report is based on survey data and interviews with 1,050 IT leaders globally.
Also: Microsoft and ServiceNow's exploitable agents reveal a growing - and preventable - AI security crisis
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