Enterprises are increasingly turning to agentic AI to modernize their operations, promising an acceleration in transformation by as much as 80 times while slashing costs by 90%. This shift aims to address significant technical debt challenges that have reached $2.41 trillion annually in the U.S., according to Accenture. Dr. Asa Kalavade, who heads the next generation of migration and modernization services at AWS, emphasizes that companies like BMW, Air Canada, and CSL are leveraging this innovative technology to achieve rapid modernization.
In discussions with enterprise leaders, a palpable urgency surrounds the need for AI transformation. The economic landscape has changed dramatically, compelling organizations to speed up their migration to cloud-based infrastructures as a foundational step for unlocking competitive advantages. Kalavade notes that companies capable of employing intelligent agents to manage their technical debt stand to not only cut costs but also redefine their market positioning.
Launched on May 15, 2025, AWS Transform is touted as the world’s first agentic AI service for enterprise transformation. Unlike traditional automation tools, it reimagines how companies can modernize at the pace required by today’s competitive environment. “This isn’t about just moving servers; it’s a comprehensive strategy that can turn a one-time migration into a continuous advantage,” Kalavade asserts.
The innovative service employs a three-layered approach. The first layer consists of specialized AI agents designed to tackle specific challenges in modernization, such as converting legacy programming languages like COBOL into contemporary ones, migrating complex network configurations, and updating outdated application frameworks. These agents operate with a level of precision and speed unattainable by manual processes.
The second layer features an intelligent coordination system that autonomously manages workflows. This layer dramatically accelerates transformation by making informed decisions about which agents to deploy and when. For instance, Kalavade describes a recent project involving a customer with 6,000 virtual machines requiring a network migration. With the agentic AI’s orchestration, the project that would typically take weeks was completed in just eight hours, achieving higher accuracy than a human team could deliver.
The third layer integrates natural language interfaces that facilitate collaboration between technical and business teams. This feature is crucial in breaking down communication barriers that often hinder modernization efforts. Teams can engage in real-time discussions, translating complex technical details into accessible business language to enhance decision-making.
The economic implications of this new approach are striking. Projects that once took 12 to 18 months are now being finished in mere weeks. In practice, organizations report transformation speeds up to five times faster than conventional methods, with VMware migrations achieving up to 80 times faster outcomes when tasks are run simultaneously.
Real-world examples illustrate these advantages. Experian, a global data and technology firm, utilized AWS Transform to modernize several internal applications, reducing developer effort by approximately 40% and saving around 300 engineering days over seven projects. “Using AWS Transform for .NET, we embedded agentic AI into our teams, which was crucial to achieving our objectives,” says Anup Pancholi, Principal Director of Technology & Software Engineering at Experian.
Similarly, CSL, a major player in biotechnology, experienced substantial benefits as its planning process accelerated by tenfold across 5,000 servers. Mark Hill, Chief Digital Information Officer at CSL, notes, “Modernizing legacy applications enables us to build AI solutions more swiftly, ultimately delivering life-saving medicines to patients faster.”
Kalavade envisions a future where modernization becomes a continuous process rather than a disruptive one-time event. As technologies evolve and new business needs emerge, AWS Transform’s composability capability allows organizations to integrate industry-specific data and purpose-built agents, ensuring seamless adaptability.
The urgency to act is underscored by the prevailing $2.41 trillion technical debt challenge, which presents an opportunity not just to reduce costs but to fundamentally transform operations through agentic AI. The results from early adopters like Experian and CSL affirm the technology’s potential for not only improving speed and cost efficiency but also for fostering long-term competitive advantages.
As organizations consider their modernization strategies, AWS Transform stands out as a pioneering solution that enables businesses to overcome legacy limitations, freeing resources to focus on innovative developments. The competitive window remains open, but its closure is inevitable, making immediate action essential for those looking to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.
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