From the AIIM Global Summit to Financial Forum 2026: What the Market Is Telling Us About Agentic AI
In May, we had the opportunity to present the launch of AIDA 20.0 in very different contexts: from the AIIM Global Summit 2026 in Baltimore to the Selectec Nordic Geek Meet in Copenhagen, through to several Italian events dedicated to business innovation, artificial intelligence, and the finance world.
At every stop on our tour, we met information management professionals, CEOs, CFOs, administrative managers, consultants, and entrepreneurs, encountering an incredibly high level of expertise everywhere we went.
If there is one thing that struck us particularly, it is the change in the nature of the questions we receive.
We are no longer asked whether AI works; the challenge has shifted to how to integrate it into processes and how to monitor the evolution of KPIs.
AI is no longer an experiment
Over the past two years, artificial intelligence has been perceived as a promising technology, yet distant from operational reality.
Today, the picture has changed radically: organizations are beginning to consider it a structural component of their operating model. The discussion is no longer about adopting AI, but about how to govern and control it in order to achieve tangible results.
In other words, AI has moved from the periphery to the very center of the organization.
Data quality remains the true critical factor
In light of this paradigm shift, the topic that emerged most consistently concerns the relationship between AI and information quality. Concepts such as governance, source reliability, LLM context limitations, hallucinations, and content control were at the heart of numerous discussions.
The conclusion is simple: even the best AI model delivers value only when fed with reliable data.
For this reason, we continue to believe that document management, data extraction, and information structuring are the indispensable foundations for any truly effective AI project.
And apparently, we are not alone.
From automation to agents
Perhaps the most compelling topic to emerge during these meetings was that of agentic AI.
Most companies have understood what LLMs are and how they can support individual productivity; what remains far less understood, however, is what happens when AI stops merely responding and starts acting.
When AI can analyze documents, correlate information, make operational decisions, and trigger tasks within a process: this is precisely where the most stimulating conversations arose.
The market is looking for results, not technology
During the AIDA 20.0 presentations, we showcased concrete use cases in the legal and finance sectors: automated document due diligence, large-scale payment reconciliation, cash flow management optimized through integrated One2One communication, contract analysis, and auto-generated compliance activities.
What generated the greatest interest was not the technology itself, but the awareness that these processes are already up and running and capable of generating measurable value in a very short time.
Companies are not looking for yet more new tools to add to their technology stack, but for more efficient and intuitive ways of working.
Key takeaways
If we were to summarize the lessons learned over these months, we would say that:
- AI is here to stay.
- Data quality continues to be the most important factor.
- Human beings will remain central to decision-making processes.
- AI agents represent the next evolutionary step in automation.
- Organizations are far more ready than one might think.
These are conclusions that confirm the direction taken with AIDA over the past few years, and that today find their fullest expression in AIDA 20.0.
And, if the conversations of recent months are any reliable indicator, we are only just getting started.
