Many businesses believe they're winning the AI race. They've deployed ChatGPT-style tools, rolled out Microsoft Copilot, and ticked the ‘digital transformation’ box.
But according to Richard Thompson, Director of AI and Data at EY, a far more transformative technology is quietly reshaping business operations - the agentic AI that makes decisions and executes tasks without human oversight.
As a Director in AI and Data for one of the world's Big Four consulting giants, Richard has occupied a ringside seat to profound technological shifts, of which agentic AI is the latest.
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"We've seen organisations deploy various AI tools over the last two and a half years," he says. "But are yet to truly recognise the value of an incorporating agentic AI into the workforce”
Chatbots have captured headlines, and the autonomous agents are quietly reshaping industries, but it is agentic AI that is the next phase of where artificial intelligence is heading.
Unlike the generative AI tools that have dominated public discourse since ChatGPT's explosive debut, agentic AI represents something far more transformative.
The term ‘agentic AI’ can be a little opaque to an outsider, but Richard sees this as artificial intelligence that doesn't merely respond to human prompts but acts independently, making decisions, executing tasks, and driving outcomes with a reduced level of human oversight.
Consider a manufacturing floor. Traditional approaches might see engineers reviewing data after an event or a problem occurs. But this reactive stance costs time, money, resources and sometimes safety. Agentic AI flips this paradigm entirely, moving from AI as assistant to AI as a proactive, autonomous actor.
“It is a question of how can these AI actors actually use some of the data that's been given to them to be proactive rather than waiting for something to occur?" Richard says.
This transformation isn't merely theoretical for Richard and his team. At EY, the development of EYQ – the firm's private Gen AI ecosystem – is now driving the transition from experimental technology to enterprise-grade transformation. What began as a four-week proof of concept has evolved into an enterprise reality and a comprehensive ecosystem serving 400,000 EY professionals globally.
Beyond offering ChatGPT-style conversations, the system features domain-specific conversational agents tailored to particular functions. Practitioners can navigate complex projects without wrestling with 70 different applications and information sources. It's AI as enabler rather than replacement; and yet the obstacles companies face in building truly data-informed cultures are often human and cultural, and less about the technology.
“Most organisations now have explored the use of Copilot and various other productivity tools," he says, but the real barriers are distinctly human. "It's more around the people, the processes, the mindset shift."
While businesses scramble to deploy the latest tools, they're often missing the fundamental cultural transformation required to unlock AI's true potential. The technology exists, but the human infrastructure to support it often can be overlooked or underdeveloped.
Richard's approach to solving this challenge within his own teams offers a blueprint for leaders grappling with similar transformations.
"It's about modelling the behaviour that I would like to see," he says. Rather than mandating AI adoption from above, Richard makes a point in demonstrating how data-driven decision-making works in practice by choosing evidence over instinct in daily operations.
Richard sees AI fundamentally reshaping how businesses conceptualise value creation. "Over the last two-and-a-half years, since the various Gen AI tools started becoming available to people, it's now around trying to change people's mindset into actually treating data like an asset or product," he says. For Richard, this shift from data as byproduct to data as strategic resource represents a fundamental reframing within the transformation process.
Working within a highly regulated industry, EY's AI initiatives must navigate complex considerations around data governance, privacy, and societal impact. Richard’s team can draw on deep expertise – including Partners who advise the Irish government on AI guidelines and serve on national advisory panels.
"Working in a highly regulated industry and working with regulated clients, data governance, and data privacy has always been central to a lot of our roles," he says. "That's no different when it comes to AI."
This regulatory awareness is invaluable now governments worldwide consider the implications of AI. According to Richard, "ethical and regulatory considerations are going to become huge over the next couple of years. Governments are still getting to grips with what this means – how can we control and do it in a safe, secure way?"
For Northern Ireland specifically, Richard sees extraordinary opportunity emerging from this technological revolution. The region's combination of educational infrastructure, existing talent pools, and growing tech sector positions it to benefit from AI's expansion. EY's local investment in opening a new Northwest Office in Derry/Londonderry, and running their Assured Skills Academy programme which trains and places technology professionals, demonstrate how global organisations can contribute to regional development while addressing their own talent needs.
Recently, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald announced 20 training places on EY's seventh Assured Skills Academy, focusing on Business Operations and Technology. The six-week intensive programme, running from 10 November to 18 December 2025 at Belfast Met's Springvale and Titanic campuses, will provide practical experience in Strategy and Transactions roles with guaranteed job interviews at EY for successful participants.
"Within Northern Ireland, we are seeing a huge demand for AI skills across various different organisations," Richard says. "So how we attract that talent, and how we retain that talent is going to be key."
It's a challenge that reflects broader questions about how regions can position themselves advantageously within AI's emerging landscape and ultimately develop their human potential.
“First and foremost, it's important to have a real diversity of skills and thought,” he says. Rather than seeking AI specialists exclusively, Richard reflects on the importance of diverse perspectives and empowering team members to bring their unique viewpoints to projects. This approach recognises that AI's most significant applications often emerge from unexpected combinations of personal experience, domain expertise and technical capability.
Looking forward, Richard acknowledges the inherent difficulty of predicting AI's trajectory. He anticipates consolidation among AI providers as a handful of major players establish dominance, greater infusing AI across all business functions, and continued evolution toward incorporating traditional workplace models with an agentic workforce.
Perhaps most significantly, Richard foresees a somewhat redefined understanding of human roles within certain organisations. "How can we redefine what the human role is?" he says. “How can we free up [humans] from repetitive, manual tasks? How can we ultimately drive more value for the business?”
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The answers depend entirely on an organisations' willingness to embrace the mindset shifts Richard describes. Companies that view AI merely as a productivity enhancement tool risk missing its transformational potential. Those that reimagine their operations around autonomous intelligence – treating data as a strategic asset, fostering cultures of innovation, and redefining human-AI collaboration – position themselves to thrive in an increasingly automated world.
“When you are driving innovation through exploring new technologies or proof of concepts, it’s important embrace a fail-fast approach: if something isn’t delivering the expected value, acknowledge it quickly, learn from it, and pivot to the next idea” he says. In an era of rapid technological change, the ability to experiment, learn, and adapt may prove more valuable than any specific technical capability.
According to Richard, the businesses that recognise agentic AI's potential – and undertake the difficult cultural work necessary to harness it – will find themselves with the sharper competitive edge and all the benefits that flow from it.
Sync NI's Autumn 2025 magazine explores how Northern Ireland is moving AI from pilot to production
This issue features exclusive insights from industry leaders on real-world AI implementation, responsible adoption, enterprise infrastructure, and how data-driven innovation is transforming businesses across the region.
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