The market leadership imperative in the agentic economy
In the agentic economy, where autonomous AI systems increasingly act on behalf of the business, market leadership depends on an organization’s ability to orchestrate AI-driven decisions, workflows, and governance at scale. As autonomous agents increasingly shape how work gets done, leaders must shift from controlling systems to navigating interconnected, AI-enabled operations with confidence, trust, and strategic clarity.
This is the central message of IDC’s FutureScape Field Manual: C-suite Edition — The Market Leadership Imperative: Creating Advantage in the Agentic Economy. Rather than focusing on AI as a standalone capability, the ebook examines how agentic systems are reshaping decision-making, operating models, and leadership responsibility across the enterprise.
From control to navigation
For decades, leadership in technology-driven organizations was rooted in control: standardizing systems, optimizing processes, and reducing variability. In the agentic economy, that model no longer holds. AI agents introduce autonomy, interdependence, and speed at a scale that challenges traditional command-and-control approaches.
IDC frames this shift as a move from control to navigation. Leaders are no longer steering isolated systems; they are guiding dynamic networks of human and machine decision-makers. Success depends on understanding how these systems interact, where governance must evolve, and how trust is established when decisions are increasingly made by software acting on behalf of the business.
The implication is sobering: leaders can have the right strategy and still drift if they fail to account for these forces. The field manual positions leadership not as command and control, but as navigation, continuously adjusting course with insight, governance, and alignment across the C-suite.
The crosscurrents reshaping enterprise strategy
A core section of the ebook examines the major forces converging around agentic AI. Rather than treating them as separate issues, the analysis shows how they reinforce one another.
Economic volatility is forcing tighter capital discipline just as AI investments accelerate. Geopolitical realignment and digital sovereignty are reshaping where data, models, and infrastructure can live. Regulatory pressure is increasing faster than many organizations’ readiness. At the same time, the workforce is being redefined as human–AI collaboration replaces task-based automation.
The takeaway is clear: in the agentic economy, technology strategy now intersects directly with geopolitical strategy, talent strategy, and trust strategy. Leaders who address these dimensions in isolation risk fragmented adoption and rising complexity.
Four pillars of the agentic future
To help executives make sense of this environment, the field manual introduces four leadership pillars that serve as a shared compass for decision-making.
The first focuses on navigating disruption itself, recognizing that volatility is now structural, not episodic. The second addresses the shift from AI pilots to enterprise-wide orchestration, in which agents operate across systems rather than within silos. The third centers on trust, resilience, and transparency, positioning governance not as a constraint but as a source of confidence and differentiation. The fourth looks beyond productivity, exploring how agentic AI unlocks new forms of innovation, growth, and value creation.
Each pillar is framed with IDC research, executive-level implications, and reflective questions designed to spark discussion across leadership teams.
Trust as an operating discipline
One of the most distinctive elements of the ebook is its treatment of trust. Instead of positioning trust as an abstract value, the field manual treats it as an operational capability.
It introduces the idea that transparency, explainability, accountability, and governance must be embedded into daily operations as AI becomes more autonomous. Trust becomes measurable, visible, and actionable — not just a compliance requirement, but a leadership behavior that directly affects resilience, innovation, and stakeholder confidence.
A shared language for the C-suite
What sets this field manual apart is its intent. It is not written for one role or function. It is designed to create a shared language between CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, CMOs, COOs, and CHROs at a moment when decisions about AI can no longer be delegated or deferred.
The ebook connects near-term realities with longer-term consequences, helping leaders understand not only what is changing, but what they need to be discussing next. It invites dialogue rather than prescribing answers, a deliberate choice in an era where certainty is rare, but informed navigation is essential.
Why this matters now
The agentic economy is already taking shape. Organizations that move deliberately, align strategy with governance, and treat AI as a leadership issue will be positioned to turn disruption into advantage.
This field manual offers a clear-eyed view of that challenge, and a structured way for leaders to begin navigating it together.
For those ready to move from insight to impact, the full eBook provides the depth, context, and questions needed to chart a confident path forward.
