Forrester’s 2026 predictions identify a fundamental shift: enterprise applications will move beyond enabling employees with digital tools to accommodating a digital workforce of AI agents.
The Great Inversion:
Human-centric software (legacy): Menus, dashboards, forms — click through workflows.
Process-centric software (agent-native): APIs, events, natural language — orchestrate with agents.
The Architecture Transformation:
| Dimension | Human-Centric | Process-Centric | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Interface | GUI, Dashboards | APIs, Events | 10x automation |
| Data Flow | Human-triggered | Real-time streaming | Zero latency |
| Decision Making | Manual approval | AI-orchestrated | 24/7 operations |
Enterprise Giants Go Agent-Native:
- Salesforce Agentforce — 12K+ deployments
- ServiceNow Now Assist — Agent marketplace
- SAP Joule — AI copilot embedded
- Microsoft Copilot Studio — 400K+ custom agents
- Workday — HR automation agents
Market Impact: $98B by 2026 — 67% agent-native adoption, 80% process automation, 40% productivity gain
This is part of a comprehensive analysis of 20+ AI business trends for 2026. Read the full analysis on The Business Engineer.









