DeepL Survey: 69% of Global Executives Expect AI Agents to Reshape Business in 2026

December 03, 2025
A new DeepL study shows that nearly seven in ten global business leaders expect AI agents to transform operations in 2026, with language and voice AI becoming essential enterprise infrastructure.

DeepL said in a press release that 69% of global executives expect AI agents to reshape business operations in 2026. The company surveyed 5,000 executives across the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Japan, finding that nearly half foresee major transformation from agentic AI next year, while a quarter report such changes are already underway.

According to the survey, the main reasons for confidence in AI agents are demonstrated ROI and efficiency, workforce adaptability, and enterprise readiness. The leading challenges include deployment cost, workforce preparedness, and technology maturity. Two-thirds of respondents said AI is now the top growth driver for their organizations, with the U.K. showing the highest measurable performance gains.

The report also found that language and voice AI are becoming key enterprise infrastructure components. Sixty-four percent of surveyed businesses plan to increase investment in language AI in 2026, led by the U.K. and Germany. More than half of respondents said real-time voice translation will be essential next year, rising sharply from current adoption levels. Demand for voice AI is being driven by advances in live translation technology and customer expectations.

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