Everyone's running AI pilots, but how many are actually delivering real business impact? In this episode, we're joined by Sefa Soybir, Senior Manager and Agentic GBS Lead at EY, where he helps organisations move beyond the hype and embed agentic AI into real business processes.

We get into what separates a genuinely compelling AI use case from one that just looks good in a demo, and the criteria Sefa recommends before greenlighting any agentic initiative. We also tackle one of the hardest parts of AI transformation — realising the downstream impact. Automation rates and productivity stats are one thing, but how do those numbers actually translate into business value? And what do you do with the headcount you've released?

We'll also cover the human side: smoothing out change management, bringing employees on the journey, and securing executive buy-in for something as ambiguous and fast-moving as agentic AI. If you're trying to build credible AI initiatives that stick, this one's for you.

The AI conversation in Global Business Services is loud; but how much of it is grounded in reality? In this episode, we sit down with two of the most authoritative voices in the GBS industry: Naomi Secor and Barbara Hodge, SSON Research & Analytics. Together, bringing over four decades of experience tracking the trends and transformations shaping shared services worldwide.

They're here to cut through the noise and give us the data-backed truth on where GBS organisations actually stand on AI maturity and adoption. We get into the real debate around Agentic AI — what it means for service delivery models, whether GBS organisations are genuinely reducing headcount, and what the research says about how teams and skills are evolving on the ground.

If you've been wondering what's hype and what's real, this is the episode for you.

Throughout the episode, we reference the following:

SSON R&A’s State of the Shared Services Industry 2026

Intelligent Automation Universe

World’s Best GBS Award

As enterprises shift from AI pilots to full-scale deployment in 2026, the real challenges emerge — and 40% of agentic AI projects are predicted to fail. In this episode of GBS Rewired, host Sally Fletcher sits down with CK Taneja, SVP of Transformation and Innovation at Northern Trust, to unpack the operational, governance, and architectural challenges of scaling agentic AI; and how to ensure your organization beats the odds.