Manjeet Rege, director of the University of St. Thomas Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, was featured in a Tech Target article examining major generative AI trends expected to shape 2026. Rege explained that organizations are moving beyond pilot projects toward fully operational AI systems, emphasizing agent-driven workflows, stronger human oversight and the need for responsible, secure and cost-effective AI deployment as adoption accelerates across industries.
From the article:
Generative AI’s adoption rate among businesses has been meteoric since the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022. Going into 2026, more than 80% of enterprises will have tested or deployed GenAI-enabled applications, Gartner reports, compared to less than 5% in 2023. With the exception of some select business sectors and applications reporting a measurable return on investment, ROI remains a concern among many decision-makers responsible for the successful implementation of AI initiatives within their organizations. ...
Gone are the days when executives ask, “Should we try this? Should we test this?” Now they’re asking, “How do we run this reliably for hundreds of users?” said Manjeet Rege, director of the University of St. Thomas Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence. “The era of AI pilots is over, the era of AI operations has begun,” he said. “GenAI is dissolving into the enterprise stack. Users will access it through ERP forms and CRM workflows, supply chain screens, ticketing systems and not by going (to a GenAI tool. It is becoming like electricity. You don’t see it, you use it. You use what’s built on top of it.”
