Gartner predicts that by 2028, 70 per cent of enterprises will abandon agentic AI systems built with vendor assistance. It says forward-deployed engineering, where a vendor’s engineers work with a customer to build and deploy tailored software, can produce quick initial progress but leave the customer reliant on costly external expertise.

Gartner says projects are more likely to succeed when scope, governance, ownership, knowledge transfer and an exit plan are agreed from the outset. It recommends using this approach for work that needs deep product expertise or close integration, and warns that fewer than 20 per cent of engagements will turn recurring customer needs into features in vendors’ core products by 2028; some providers may also be selling ordinary consulting under a more specialised label.