AI in action: Make your digital workplace the launchpad to ‘Frontier Firm’ status

Is your organization stuck in endless AI pilots, seeing only small wins and fragmented automation? Or are you ready to become a true "Frontier Firm"— one where AI isn't deployed in isolated pockets but instead is an integral part of every workflow?

Pervasive automation, GenAI and agentic AI systems are reshaping how teams operate, and the digital workplace is no longer a collection of devices, endpoints and collaboration tools: it's the core environment where human and AI teams come together.

This is where Microsoft's concept of "Frontier Firms" becomes highly relevant.

What are Frontier Firms?

An MIT report found that roughly 95% of GenAI pilots delivered no measurable business return, often because efforts remain siloed and tools integrate poorly or don't match workflows.

As the technology advances, the distinction between experimenting with AI and truly transforming with it is becoming clearer.

Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report introduced the idea of Frontier Firms. These are organizations that do more than simply use AI tools: They go a step further by rearchitecting their operating models and embedding AI in their digital workflows — right where employees make decisions, collaborate and do their work.

The goal is a well-governed, scalable and AI-first operating model where AI agents and employees collaborate throughout the organization.

We're helping organizations achieve Frontier Firm status with our Workplace Smart AI Agent™ Suite — a plug-and-play ecosystem of enterprise-grade AI agents that's built on the Microsoft technology stack and is designed for security and responsible AI (the ethical, transparent, fair and accountable development and use of AI).

• ALSO READ → Say hello to the smart digital workplace: The impact of agentic AI

What the new model means for your digital workplace

AI agents and copilots become specialist and generalist digital colleagues

AI agents can generate insights, carry out tasks, and support frontline and knowledge workers in real time. Knowledge.ai, one of the agents in the NTT DATA suite, is a generalist that retrieves and summarizes information, while Quality.ai is a specialist that executes both routine and specialized tasks such as call audits and compliance checks.

Workflows become intelligent, adaptive and measurable

Every interaction feeds learning loops that improve agents' speed and precision. Our agents learn from these interactions based on the roles and personas they support, and adapt their tone, style and work patterns accordingly.

Human roles don't disappear — they evolve

Employees become "agent bosses" who supervise and validate the work of AI agents and agentic systems under strong governance policies.

This speeds up decision-making and decouples cost and scale, making it easier to deliver more with the same workforce. In addition, automated, traceable workflows improve compliance and auditability, while employees benefit from the elimination of basic, repetitive work.

KPIs and ROI: How NTT DATA transforms the digital workplace

We offer a combination of AI-driven assets, expertise and leadership in the Microsoft ecosystem. Our Workplace Smart AI Agent™ Suite supports automated quality audits, knowledge retrieval, incident triage, compliance checks and support operations.

KPIs for agents and the digital workplace

Each engagement is anchored in key performance indicators (KPIs) such as mean time to repair (MTTR), first contact resolution, ticket deflection, compliance coverage and employee experience scores. This allows us to measure the success of pilot projects and scale deployments accordingly.

We also define agent-level KPIs, regarding each AI agent as a digital coworker. By monitoring its effectiveness, precision and overall contribution, we can make enhancements whenever necessary.

• ALSO READ → Benchmark, modernize, transform: The new roadmap for digital workplace leaders

Industry playbooks for clear ROI within weeks

These frameworks identify high-impact opportunities for AI in the workplace, such as ticket triage, knowledge synthesis and secure device workflows, as well as industry-specific use cases such as clinical knowledge assistance and automated regulatory checks in healthcare.

Digital workplace assessment for modernization

Our proprietary Digital Workplace Maturity Assessment evaluates your current environment and prepares it for modernization in several areas. These include key pillars of Microsoft's AI business solutions— Copilot Agent at Work, Security AI, Productivity, Scale with Cloud Endpoints, and Premium Converged Communication — all powered by our Workplace Smart AI Agent™ Suite.

• ALSO READ → NTT DATA recognized as a Leader in the Everest Group Microsoft Modern Work Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025

Valuable outcomes from well-governed AI implementation

The experiences of NTT DATA's clients show how the principles of Frontier Firms — the compounding impact of AI agents, well-governed workflows and digital workplace transformation — translate into real business outcomes:

• A global manufacturer reduced MTTR by roughly 35% — and because engineers now have more time for higher-value innovation, they also increased productivity by 35%.
• A leading financial services provider has benefited from 100% call-audit coverage, a 35% uplift in agent productivity and a 30% increase in employee engagement.

These outcomes are proof that the technology stack is ready. The foundational models, agent frameworks and orchestration platforms are here, supported by responsible AI governance. Early adopters are seeing benefits in rising productivity, more frequent innovation and improved employee experiences.

Move from pockets of AI to value at scale

If you're ready to move confidently from AI experimentation and scattered AI tools to value at scale with an AI-first operating model, talk to us.

We'll help you create a roadmap to elevate your digital workplace to Frontier Firm levels of maturity, and quickly launch a measurable, 90-day AI pilot project with enterprise-grade agents.

The next strategic shift is here, and NTT DATA is the partner to help you lead it. Let's start planning your journey today.