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AI Fundamentals
Why IT legacy systems are not an obstacle for AI Agents (but an opportunity!)
Job van den Berg
February 1, 2026
3
min read
AI Agents are the key to innovation without having to replace your entire IT landscape.
Many companies struggle with outdated IT systems — also known as legacy systems mentioned. They are slow, inflexible, and don't seem to match modern technologies like AI Agents. Nevertheless, this is a persistent misunderstanding. In reality, AI Agents can do the right thing are the key to innovation, without having to replace your entire IT landscape.
Many companies — especially in sectors such as industry, logistics, healthcare and government — are running out old IT systems those:
- be slow,
- difficult to connect,
- and often don't offer modern interfaces or APIs.
However, these systems often include years of valuable business data. And that data is essential for AI.
👉 The big misconception: You must first fully switch to modern software before you can deploy AI.
👉 The reality: AI Agents can get started with existing systems right away.
How AI Agents Collaborate with Legacy Systems
AI Agents are designed to to integrate with existing systems, even if they are decades old. Through APIs, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), or middleware, AI Agents can retrieve, interpret, and combine data.
Among other things, they can:
- Collecting data from ERP, CRM and custom systems
- Combining information from structured and unstructured sources
- Automate repetitive tasks such as reports, analyses and notifications
- Supporting or making decisions independently based on defined logic
All without having to completely rebuild your IT environment.
Why AI Agents are the solution to legacy issues
AI Agents are not dependent on a single system. They can function as a intelligent layer on top of your existing infrastructure. That means:
- No expensive and time-consuming IT migration
- Fast ROI because processes are immediately more efficient
- Preserving existing data and systems with the power of new technology
For companies with limited IT capacity, this is a huge opportunity to still the step towards digital transformation to put.
The strength of an AI Agent depends on the quality of the data it runs on. Therefore, make sure that:
- your data is logically structured (field names, tables, formats)
- your data is historically well maintained and consistent
- you know where which data is located
💡 Hint: Start with a data scan of your legacy systems to assess how AI-ready your environment is.
Don't let legacy systems stop you from innovating. Companies with old systems in particular can take steps now with AI Agents — without major investments in new software. The technology is there. The business case, too.
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