Microsoft and IBM Launch Imagine Enterprise to Help Companies Deploy AI Agents at Scale

Microsoft and IBM unveiled Imagine Enterprise on Tuesday, a new platform that enables organizations to construct and oversee AI agents operating across their data systems and business processes. The partnership pairs IBM Consulting's library of over 6,000 ready-made AI agents and consulting capabilities with Microsoft's AI infrastructure and cloud services. Engineers from both companies will be stationed at customer sites to guide enterprises through adoption.

The strategic shift reflects changing client expectations. "Clients are no longer looking for AI that simply helps people do the same work a little faster," said Mohamad Ali, SVP and head of IBM Consulting. "They want to build an agentic business."

Preparing for an agentic workforce

The partnership arrives as technology leaders grapple with how agentic AI will reshape operations, workflows and staffing models. Yet most organizations remain unprepared for this transition. According to Gartner research, just 4% of chief information officers have developed concrete strategies to restructure roles for teams working alongside AI agents.

Across the industry, major cloud and software providers are racing to support enterprises navigating this shift. Microsoft, IBM, Google and AWS have all established forward deployed engineering teams to help clients tackle the operational challenges of scaling agentic AI. Simultaneously, these vendors are offering pre-built agents tailored to specific industries, allowing companies to deploy solutions without building from scratch.

Building systems around AI

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna emphasized that the next wave of enterprise AI success depends on more than just releasing new agents and models. During IBM's third-quarter 2026 earnings call in October, he told investors that "Organizations are recognizing that AI is only as effective as the system around it. The data that provides context, the workflows that orchestrate action, the infrastructure that secures and optimizes operations and the hybrid cloud foundation that provides flexibility without lock-in."

Imagine Enterprise reflects this philosophy. Launched less than a month after Krishna's remarks, the platform combines on-site engineering support with pre-built agents designed for specific sectors. The initial rollout targets financial services, insurance and retail.

"Enterprise AI will be won by organizations that can turn their data, industry expertise, and AI into action," said Rodrigo Kede Lima, president of the Microsoft Frontier Company.