PodChats for FutureCOO: Driving next-gen automation with Agentic AI

Imagine, it is 2026, a semiconductor plant in Penang, Malaysia is running at peak efficiency—not because of more workers, but because of agentic AI. Autonomous digital agents, each with goals, context, and decision rights, now orchestrate production lines, dynamically rerouting workflows when a machine falters or a shipment delays. These aren’t rule-based bots—they reason, collaborate, and learn. In Vietnam, agentic AI forecasts monsoon-driven port congestion weeks in advance, renegotiating logistics routes with shipping partners via API—without human intervention (but with human oversight). Across ASEAN, supply chains are no longer reactive; they’re anticipatory.

For COOs, this is transformative. Agentic AI slashes unplanned downtime by up to 50%, optimizes inventory in real time, and ensures compliance across fragmented regional regulations. Imagine AI agents acting as autonomous supply chain managers—balancing cost, carbon, and speed across Thailand, Indonesia, and India. 

The future isn’t just automation—it’s intelligent agency. Leading manufacturers are already piloting multi-agent systems that simulate, decide, and act. The question is no longer if you adopt agentic AI—but how fast you can scale it. The next competitive edge is self-driving operations.

Joining us on PodChats for FutureCOO is Tony Tay, founder and CEO, AgileAlgo

1.       Give us a brief about AgileAlgo.

2.       To what extent is agentic AI a good fit for process operations?

3.       Which functions or workflows are the biggest candidates for autonomous agent-driven transformation?

4.       What new skills or roles should we develop among our workforce to maximize human-AI collaboration?

5.       What measurable ROI have early adopters in Asia achieved after implementing agentic automation?

6.       What human oversight is necessary to maintain trust and accountability in automated decisions?

7.       Gartner predicts that by 2027 40% of organisations will Agentic AI projects will fail. Other analysts estimate that up to 70% of current systems are hybrid and may be tied to legacy system. How do we ensure agentic AI solutions integrate smoothly with existing IT and business systems?

8.       With technology refresh occurring faster than in the past, how do you see agentic AI reshape core operational processes over the next 12–24 months?

9.   What is your advice for COOs and other functional leaders, perhaps working closely with the CIO and IT teams, to optimise and improve their use of agentic AI technologies?

10.   As for CFOs, how should they approach the adoption of agentic AI?