(8 Jan 2026) The results from the global community consultation on agentic AI in research are now available. The consultation explored current use of agentic AI in research and gathered perspectives on its value throughout the research lifecycle.
Launched in November 2025, the consultation defined agentic AI as ‘artificial intelligence systems capable of autonomous operation with minimal human oversight.’ It was open to all, regardless of AI expertise or experience, or geographical location. The consultation builds upon RDA’s previous collaboration with Microsoft, which identified agentic AI as a capability need amongst researchers and recommended investment in automated data preparation tools.
Three proposed tools emerged as clear community priorities:
- The Literature Librarian, which would search literature using natural language queries integrated with library subscriptions;
- The Data Director, designed to support research data preparation and sharing in compliance with FAIR principles; and
- The Funding Finder, which would identify relevant funding opportunities and support application processes.
These top three rankings were reflected across both regional and stakeholder analyses, with the Literature Librarian, Data Director, and Funding Finder consistently appearing amongst the highest priorities.
Overall, participants portrayed a complex, ambivalent future regarding agentic AI in research.
The full report is available here.
