Recent industry research points to a move from individual AI tools towards more connected, agent-based workflows. Google Cloud, for example, identifies agentic workflows and AI-supported productivity as major business trends for 2026.
But automation is not developing in only one direction. Businesses also need to think about security, governance, employee training, data quality, and whether a particular process is actually suitable for automation.
Here are some of the most important automation developments businesses should be watching in 2026.
1. AI Agents Are Becoming Part of Business Workflows
One of the biggest developments in automation is the growth of AI agents.
Traditional automation normally follows predefined instructions.
For example:
New enquiry → Create CRM record → Send email → Notify sales team
An AI agent can potentially handle more complex tasks by interpreting information, deciding what actions are needed, and completing multiple steps.
This means businesses are beginning to move from simply automating individual tasks towards automating complete processes.
Google Cloud describes this shift as moving from individual prompts and tasks towards systems that can coordinate more complex workflows.
For businesses, the potential applications include:
Customer service
Sales operations
Research
Document processing
IT support
Data analysis
Internal administration
Security operations
However, greater autonomy also creates new challenges around permissions, monitoring, and human oversight.
2. Agentic Workflows Are Moving Beyond Simple Automation
A major development in automation news for 2026 is the growth of agentic workflows.
Instead of one automated process performing a fixed sequence of actions, multiple AI agents can potentially work together to complete a more complex objective.
For example:
Customer enquiry → AI classification → Research → Recommendation → CRM update → Human approval → Customer response
Each stage can potentially involve a different system or agent.
Google Cloud expects agentic workflows to become a more important part of business processes during 2026, while Microsoft is also expanding Power Automate's ability to connect workflows with AI agents.
This could change how businesses design automation.
Instead of asking:
"What task can we automate?"
Businesses may increasingly ask:
"What complete process can technology help us manage?"
3. Power Automate Is Becoming More Connected to AI
Microsoft is continuing to expand the connection between Power Automate and AI capabilities.
Its 2026 Power Automate release plans include ways to connect cloud workflows with AI agents and allow AI agents to call desktop flows for tasks requiring precise, step-by-step execution.
This creates an interesting combination:
AI reasoning + workflow automation + existing business systems
For businesses already using Microsoft 365, this could make automation more accessible.
If you are interested in the practical side of Power Automate, read:
How to Build an Effective Power Automate Workflow
The important point is that AI does not replace traditional workflow automation. Instead, the two technologies can increasingly complement each other.
4. Businesses Are Moving From Experiments to Real Use Cases
Another important trend is the shift from experimenting with AI towards finding measurable business value.
Many businesses have tested AI tools, but successful implementation requires more than simply giving employees access to new software.
Organisations need to identify specific problems that technology can solve.
For example:
Reducing invoice processing time
Automating customer follow-ups
Improving document processing
Reducing manual data entry
Speeding up internal approvals
Automating reporting
This is where automation becomes part of a broader business strategy.
Our guide explains this approach in more detail:
Business Process Automation: A Complete Guide for Irish Businesses
The focus should be on measurable improvements rather than adopting technology simply because it is new.
5. Intelligent Automation Is Becoming More Practical
Traditional automation works particularly well when processes follow predictable rules.
But businesses often deal with information that is less structured.
Emails, documents, customer messages, and other forms of unstructured information can be more difficult to automate using traditional rules alone.
AI can help interpret this information.
For example, an intelligent workflow could analyse an incoming email, determine its category, extract relevant information, and send it to the appropriate business process.
This combination of AI and automation is helping businesses address processes that previously required more human involvement.
6. Automation Is Becoming More Connected
Businesses increasingly use multiple applications to manage their operations.
A company might use separate platforms for:
CRM
Accounting
Email
HR
Customer support
Project management
Document storage
Communication
When these systems do not communicate effectively, employees often become the connection between them.
Automation can reduce this dependency.
For example:
CRM update → Accounting system → Notification → Task creation → Reporting
This creates a more connected digital environment.
For a broader look at how this development is affecting businesses, see:
How Automation Technology Is Changing Irish Businesses
7. Process Intelligence Is Getting More Attention
Another important development is the growing use of process intelligence.
Before automating a process, businesses need to understand how that process actually works.
Process intelligence and process mining can help organisations analyse workflows, identify bottlenecks, and discover where inefficiencies occur.
Microsoft's 2026 Power Automate updates include expanded process intelligence capabilities designed to analyse complex and interconnected processes.
This is important because automation should not simply make an inefficient process run faster.
Businesses should first understand the process and identify opportunities for improvement.
8. AI Automation Requires Better Governance
As AI systems become more autonomous, governance is becoming increasingly important.
Businesses need to know:
What an AI system can access
What actions it can perform
Which data it can use
When human approval is required
How actions are recorded
How unusual behaviour is detected
This is particularly important when automation interacts with sensitive business information or external systems.
Recent developments around autonomous AI systems have increased attention on monitoring, access controls, and the ability to stop or restrict automated systems when necessary.
For businesses, this means security should be considered during automation design rather than added afterwards.
9. Human Oversight Remains Important
More automation does not necessarily mean less human involvement.
In many business processes, humans remain responsible for decisions that require context, judgement, or accountability.
A useful model is:
Automation handles repetitive tasks → AI supports analysis → Humans make important decisions
This can allow employees to spend less time on administrative work while maintaining appropriate oversight.
Businesses should therefore identify where human approval is necessary before making a workflow fully autonomous.
10. AI Skills Are Becoming More Important
Technology alone cannot transform a business.
Employees also need to understand how to work with new automation tools.
Google Cloud's 2026 AI Agent Trends report highlights the development of an AI-ready workforce as an important factor in successful adoption.
Employees may need training in areas such as:
AI tools
Workflow automation
Data management
Prompting
Process design
Security
AI governance
The objective is not to turn every employee into a developer.
Instead, employees should understand how automation can support their role and how to use it responsibly.
11. Automation Is Becoming More Accessible to SMEs
Automation is no longer limited to large enterprises with large technology budgets.
Cloud platforms and no-code or low-code tools allow smaller businesses to automate processes without building every system from scratch.
This can be particularly useful for SMEs in Ireland.
A small business may start with one simple workflow and gradually expand automation as it identifies additional opportunities.
Examples include:
Lead notifications
Appointment reminders
Invoice approvals
Customer follow-ups
Document workflows
Employee onboarding
The key is to start with a process where the potential benefit is easy to measure.
12. AI and Automation Are Changing Customer Service
Customer expectations continue to increase.
People increasingly expect businesses to provide fast and relevant responses.
Automation can help businesses manage routine customer interactions, while AI can potentially make these interactions more flexible and personalised.
For example, an automated customer service process could:
Receive a customer request.
Understand the request.
Retrieve relevant information.
Provide an initial response.
Escalate complex issues to an employee.
Record the interaction.
This creates a combination of automation and human support rather than relying entirely on either one.
13. Automation Is Moving Into Security Operations
Security is another area where automation is becoming increasingly important.
Security teams often need to process large numbers of alerts and events.
Automation can help with repetitive actions such as:
Alert classification
Data collection
Initial investigation
Notifications
Ticket creation
Routine responses
Google Cloud identifies AI agents as a potential way to automate some of the most time-consuming security operations tasks, allowing human analysts to focus on more critical work.
However, security automation needs strong controls because automated actions can have significant consequences.
14. Physical AI and Robotics Are Expanding
Automation is not limited to software.
Another development gaining attention is the connection between AI and physical machines.
Deloitte's 2026 technology trends highlight physical AI and robotics alongside agentic systems and AI infrastructure as major areas of development.
In advanced environments, AI systems can increasingly interact with physical equipment and robotics.
This is particularly relevant to:
Manufacturing
Logistics
Scientific research
Warehousing
Industrial operations
For most small businesses, this may not be an immediate priority, but it demonstrates how broad the automation landscape is becoming.
15. Data Quality Is Becoming a Critical Automation Issue
Automation depends on information.
If the data entering a workflow is incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent, the automated process may produce poor results.
This becomes even more important when AI is involved.
Businesses should therefore pay attention to:
Data accuracy
Data structure
Duplicate records
Missing information
Data access
Data governance
Before implementing a sophisticated automation system, businesses should make sure the underlying data is reliable.
16. Businesses Are Looking More Closely at ROI
One of the most important automation trends is not a technology at all.
It is the increasing focus on return on investment.
Businesses want to know whether automation actually produces measurable value.
Useful metrics can include:
Hours saved
Processing time
Cost reduction
Error reduction
Customer response time
Number of automated transactions
Employee productivity
This helps organisations distinguish useful automation from technology that simply looks impressive.
Professional business process automation services can also help organisations identify suitable processes and design automation around measurable objectives.
You can learn more here:
How Business Process Automation Services Improve Efficiency
17. The Dublin Market Is Becoming Increasingly Relevant
For businesses operating in Dublin, automation is particularly relevant because the city has a strong concentration of technology, professional services, finance, and other digitally focused businesses.
Organisations looking at automation providers may encounter a wide range of technologies and approaches.
Understanding the market can help businesses determine which solutions are appropriate for their own requirements.
The right solution will ultimately depend on the company's processes, systems, budget, and goals.
What Should Irish Businesses Do in 2026?
Businesses do not need to adopt every new automation technology.
Instead, a practical approach is to start with business needs.
Identify Repetitive Processes
Look for activities that employees perform repeatedly.
Measure the Current Process
Understand how much time and resources the process currently requires.
Look for Bottlenecks
Identify delays, errors, duplicated work, and unnecessary manual steps.
Choose the Appropriate Technology
Determine whether traditional workflow automation, AI, system integration, or another approach is appropriate.
Start With a Pilot
Test automation on a controlled process before expanding it across the organisation.
Measure the Results
Compare performance before and after implementation.
Expand Gradually
Use successful projects as a foundation for additional automation.
What Should Businesses Watch Out For?
Automation has significant potential, but businesses should not ignore its limitations.
AI-powered automation can produce unexpected results, particularly when systems have broad permissions or operate without adequate monitoring.
Businesses should therefore consider:
Security
Data protection
Access controls
Human oversight
Workflow monitoring
Employee training
Clear accountability
The goal should be controlled automation, not automation at any cost.
The Future of Automation in Ireland
The direction of automation is becoming clearer.
Businesses are moving from simple task automation towards more connected systems that combine workflows, AI, integrations, and human decision-making.
For Irish businesses, this could create opportunities to operate more efficiently without simply increasing administrative headcount.
The businesses that benefit most will likely be those that focus on practical use cases rather than chasing every new technology trend.
Automation should solve real problems.
It should save time, improve processes, reduce errors, support employees, or improve customer experiences.
Final Thoughts
The automation landscape is changing quickly in 2026.
AI agents, intelligent workflows, process intelligence, system integrations, AI-powered customer service, and physical automation are all contributing to a broader shift in how businesses operate.