Report: Challenge to AI adoption In Federal Agencies Is Operational

RESTON, Va. (October 19, 2026) - A new report from ICF, a leading global solutions and technology provider, and MeriTalk, government IT's top digital platform, finds that agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining traction across federal agencies, but scaling it across the enterprise will require a shift in agency operating models.

Based on a survey of 100 federal IT decisionmakers across civilian, defense and national security agencies, The Agentic Future finds that adoption is already underway with 45% of respondents saying their agencies are using agentic AI in at least one production or operational workflow, while another 34% are exploring or piloting it. Despite that momentum, only 10% say agentic AI is operationally relevant across their organizations today. And the reason is operational, not technical, with 91% saying that redesigning workflows is their biggest obstacle to scaling agentic AI.

The findings also show that many agencies are still building the organizational foundations needed for enterprise adoption. Only 35% have defined human-in-the-loop review processes, just 34% have clarified decision authority, and 33% have trained staff to work effectively with AI agents.

"The next phase of federal AI is not just smarter tools, but AI agents that can work alongside people to coordinate workflows, systems and teams," said David Birken, ICF senior vice president for digital modernization and experience. "This approach can improve efficiency and strengthen mission outcomes, but success will depend less on the technology, and more on how agencies redesign their workflows to take advantage of it. The agencies that lead will be those that can bring together people, data, platforms and governance around the mission, and build an operating model that allows AI to work effectively and responsibly at scale."

Other key findings include:

• Technical workflows are proving early agentic AI success with agencies reporting measurable benefits in software development (62%), data validation (57%), compliance (56%) and cybersecurity (56%).
• 85% of federal IT leaders expect agentic AI to become critical or very important to their mission over the next three years, while 98% expect it to change the role of federal employees.
• The top safeguards leaders say must be in place before they would allow AI agents to coordinate work across multiple systems include agent-specific identity and access controls (51%), incident response processes (42%) and human approval thresholds based on risk, cost or public impact (42%).

Review the full findings here.

As a trusted partner to government and a leader in AI solutions, ICF brings together deep domain expertise with leading-edge technologies, advanced analytics and human-centered design to help agencies operationalize AI. Through ICF Fathom™, the company's suite of AI solutions and services, ICF supports federal clients from strategy to execution, reducing time-to-value, accelerating mission outcomes, driving digital modernization and transforming service delivery.

About ICF

ICF is a leading global solutions and technology provider. At ICF, business analysts and policy specialists work together with digital strategists, data scientists and creatives. We combine unmatched industry expertise with cutting-edge engagement capabilities to help organizations solve their most complex challenges. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future. Learn more at icf.com.

About MeriTalk

MeriTalk is the trusted source for public sector IT news, insight, and community. We cover the people, policies, programs, and technologies shaping government modernization across federal, state and local, higher education, and K-12. Through daily news, research, events, and thought leadership, MeriTalk helps public sector and industry leaders stay informed, connected, and focused on what's next. For more information, visit www.meritalk.com or follow us on X, @MeriTalk. MeriTalk is a 300Brand organization.

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