The technology industry doesn’t stand still for long — particularly when it comes to AI.
Generative AI burst on the scene less than two years ago with the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022. It has taken the business world by storm, becoming embedded in a wide range of applications and integrated into many common workflows. According to a McKinsey & Company report, gen AI is expected to reduce the total amount of work needing human intervention by up to 70 percent. The consulting firm also predicts it will generate trillions of dollars in value across business sectors.
However, gen AI is about to be upstaged by a new entry in the marketplace. Agentic AI promises to revolutionize the way organizations operate by autonomously monitoring events and conditions, making decisions and performing complex tasks. Using the large language models (LLMs) that power gen AI, agentic AI takes automation to the next level with human-like analysis and decision-making.
What Is Agentic AI?
Gen AI, for all its power, still requires human interaction. It responds to prompts and performs a predefined task, such as generating software code or creating an image. Agentic AI can take a complex task and break it into smaller steps, planning its actions and making decisions along the way. It can adjust its approach based on changing circumstances and even learn from experience. Humans set the objectives to be achieved and agentic AI does the rest.
The possibilities are virtually limitless. Agentic AI can find new and more efficient ways to perform tasks and customize them based on specific needs and circumstances. Because they require little to no human intervention, AI agents are ideal for tasks that require real-time decision-making.
These systems can not only understand natural language prompts but also add an element of reasoning. Humans could interact with systems that communicate back, confirming expectations and discussing the best course of action. They could even provide personalized experiences by learning from past interactions with users.
Agentic AI Use Cases
Agentic AI applications are already beginning to emerge. For example, GitHub Copilot Workspace is an agent integrated into the GitHub code repository that can monitor processes, create reports and assist in project management. Beyond simply generating code, agentic AI can manage the software development lifecycle from end to end. In a recent Capgemini study, 75 percent of organizations said they are looking to use AI agents for software development.
Cybersecurity is another promising application for agentic AI. With around-the-clock monitoring and seamless scalability, AI agents could detect and respond to threats in real time with little to no human interaction.
In fact, agentic AI could automate many of the functions required to run an organization while also enhancing the way humans interact with machines. In addition to working behind the scenes, agentic AI could engage directly with customers, autonomously handling many common requests. They could recruit and interview potential job candidates, support patients needing mental healthcare, and more.
Potential Challenges
Experts say that agentic AI has the potential to deliver more value than gen AI. The technology is not without risks, however. As with gen AI, organizations should be concerned about the exposure or misuse of sensitive information, particularly given the autonomous nature of AI agents. There is also the challenge of ensuring that AI agents make decisions aligned with human values. The opacity of the decision-making process could make accountability difficult.
Agentic AI could have a more profound impact on the workforce than gen AI. While it will increase productivity and eliminate many mundane tasks, it will also displace certain job roles.
To use agentic AI successfully, organizations will need to balance autonomous systems with a measure of human oversight. The Technologent AI and digital automation teams are monitoring the emergence of agentic AI and will be prepared to help you map out a strategy. Watch this space.
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