Most organizations encounter various complexities and bottlenecks. Whether it is due to continued economic uncertainty or shifting customer expectations. Much of this is also driven by data and AI, which are reshaping decision-making, including how societies approach labor.
Ultimately, what will differentiate organizations is how they use their data and accelerate with AI to solve everyday challenges, including improving the customer experience, streamlining operations, managing assets, or fighting fraud.
Decision intelligence software is an emerging approach that many organizations are using to navigate rapidly changing times. Here are three ways it can help you now and into the future.
Data is the connector between insight and action
By now, you know that data sits at the center of your business. Customer data, user-generated content and internal employee data all create insights. But it’s decisions that ultimately move the organization forward. Decision intelligence software is the bridge that ensures that this data sees an outcome.
AI is fueling this shift. Gartner corroborates this claim. By 2027, 50% of business decisions will be augmented or automated by AI agents supporting decision intelligence. Organizations that adopt decision intelligence software will benefit, while those who default to traditional approaches will stagnate.
The right software matters more than ever
Not all decisioning tools are created equal and some are even misunderstood. Many organizations equate decision intelligence tools with workflow tools, only to realize they need something more feature-rich that includes governance, rules management and scalability.
Decision intelligence solutions move beyond popular workflow engines. Platforms like SAS® Intelligent Decisioning or SAS® Decision Builder on Microsoft Fabric unify rules, analytics, governance, and oversight across data sources within the business to reliably translate insights into action. Investing in such a platform is all about reducing risk while ensuring adaptability in a changing market.
SAS is a leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Decision Intelligence Platforms. Gartner recognized our platform's strength and ability to support diverse, complex use cases – including those in manufacturing, financial services, health care and the public sector.
Read the report
Productivity and deployment speed determine real value
You may have noticed that business moves faster than ever, aided by a global economy and accelerated digital transformation timelines. Your data teams may have access to the best software to build strong models, but translating those models into real-time decisions can remain a challenge.
They aren’t alone. A McKinsey study found that 80% of companies see little to no value from their current AI investments, not because their models are poor, but because the insights never make it to production.
Decision intelligence solutions close the gap by enabling organizations to finally realize value from their data. Organizations can embed their business rules directly into the software and run decisions against their data to focus on outcomes. This makes the organization more agile, predictable and effective.
2026 is already showing signs of uncertainty
The new year has already shown signs of being consequential for new AI innovations, with economic complexities and market uncertainties forcing organizations to think differently. Those who seek new ways to solve common organizational stressors at scale with decision intelligence software stand to gain a meaningful advantage.
