The Hackett Group^® and ARIS study reveals a growing execution divide as enterprise AI ambition outpaces operational readiness

Organizations with strong process context are five times more likely to report very successful AI outcomes, according to new research from The Hackett Group^® and ARIS, highlighting the critical role business understanding plays in enabling enterprises to deploy agentic AI at scale.

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The Process Context Study 2026 found that companies experienced with strong process context were 5x more likely to be seeing successful outcomes from AI

The Process Context Study 2026 examines how prepared Global 2000 companies are to deploy agents into core business processes and how process context is key to agents operating reliably and securely at enterprise-level, driving measurable new business value.

The findings expose a significant gap between enterprise AI ambition and current operational readiness: 86% of respondents believe agents cannot be deployed reliably without process context and 76% believe process context will become very important or critical to their organization over the next three years.

But only 22% say their organization currently has comprehensive, real-time visibility into end-to-end processes and workflows.

Crucially, the research suggests that closing this gap could have significant implications for AI performance. Organizations with greater experience of process context are five times more likely to report very successful AI outcomes than organizations with limited process-context experience.

“This research exposes a clear readiness gap. As AI moves from assisting people to executing work, closing that gap will become increasingly important,” said Rick Gardner, Senior Director, Advisory Market Intelligence, The Hackett Group^®. “Organizations need to give agents the operational understanding to know not only what they can do, but how work should actually get done.”

Targeting High-Value Workflows

Process context provides AI with an understanding of how work actually happens – connecting workflows, rules, controls, and system interactions across the enterprise. Rather than approaching Agentic AI as a massive transformation, the findings point toward targeting high-value workflows to deliver measurable business value from day one:

• Financial planning, analysis, and accounts payable/receivable
• Spend analysis, contract management, and procurement workflows
• IT service desks and automated incident management
• Recruitment, employee onboarding, and customer operations

Unlocking Value Beyond Efficiency

Across Finance, Procurement, IT, Supply Chain and Business Operations, establishing clear operational context allows companies to move past basic automation to achieve high-value outcomes. According to the study, the top sources of business value realized through process context include:

• 78% report faster execution speed and reduced process cycle times
• 75% achieve a reduction in manual, repetitive tasks
• 71% experience improved process quality and consistency
• 69% deliver higher-quality decision-making across core operations
• 67% strengthen governance, risk management and compliance enforcement

Navigating Operational Friction

While executive interest in Agentic AI is high, organizational and structural roadblocks continue to create friction. Cost, data quality, and organizational silos account for over 70% of the primary obstacles to establishing actionable process context.

Governance is where the gap is widest. Only 34% of organizations are confident in their ability to govern AI-driven decisions effectively, while just 18% have mature, enterprise-wide AI governance frameworks in place today. Meanwhile, 46% of enterprises still place AI accountability solely with IT. The result is a significant gap in business ownership, with most organizations lacking clear accountability for AI-driven decision-making.

“AI is becoming more capable at extraordinary speed, but capability alone doesn't create business value,” said Guillaume Bacuvier, CEO of ARIS. “The differentiator will be how effectively organizations put that intelligence to work inside their businesses. Data tells AI things about your business – process context tells AI how your business works.”

Bacuvier added, “The next phase of enterprise AI isn't simply about deploying more agents. It's about deploying the right agents into the right processes and giving them the business understanding to perform effectively. The Agentic Enterprise won't arrive through one giant transformation - it will emerge process by process.”

Click here to download your copy of The Hackett Group^® Process Context Study 2026 in association with ARIS.

About the 2026 Process Context Study

The 2026 Process Context Study, conducted by The Hackett Group^® in partnership with ARIS, surveyed more than 200 Global 2000 senior business leaders, examining the role of process context as a foundation for enterprise AI readiness, governance and measurable business value. The research provides an enterprise-wide benchmark alongside perspectives across Finance and Controllership, Procurement, IT, Supply Chain, Business Operations and Human Resources, examining where organizations see the greatest opportunities for AI agents, the context those agents require and the risks of deploying AI without sufficient understanding of the processes in which it operates.

About ARIS

ARIS is the process context platform for Enterprise AI. Combining process mining, process modeling, simulation, workflow orchestration, and governance in a single unified platform, ARIS helps G2000 organizations move from isolated AI pilots to autonomous, governed, enterprise-scale operations – driving efficiency, reducing risk, and delivering measurable new business value. For more information, visit www.aris.com

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"Organizations need to give agents the operational understanding to know not only what they can do, but how work should actually get done.” Rick Gardner, Senior Director, Advisory Market Intelligence, The Hackett Group®