85% of enterprises are running agentic AI on a data foundation that isn't ready

Fivetran's "Agentic AI readiness index 2026" highlights that while enterprises are heavily investing in agentic AI, a significant 85% lack the necessary data foundation to support it at scale, leading to potential widespread operational failures. Despite 41% of companies already running agentic AI in production, issues like data quality, lineage, sovereignty, and compliance are major obstacles, as identified by 42% and 39% of respondents respectively. The research indicates that only 15% of organizations are fully prepared, and these organizations report high confidence in their AI's return on investment. The key to successful AI implementation lies in having an Open Data Infrastructure, which ensures consistent, governed data movement, interoperability, and clear governance, allowing AI systems to function reliably without human oversight. This infrastructure transition transforms AI from a mere productivity tool to an integral part of the operational model, differentiating successful companies from those struggling to realize AI benefits.