Agentic AI represents the next phase of artificial intelligence: moving from a system that says things to a system that does things.
While the AI of today (Generative AI) acts like a smart consultant who gives you advice or writes a draft, Agentic AI acts like a smart employee who goes out and completes the task for you.
Here is how it works and why it changes everything.
1. The Core Difference: "Chatting" vs. "Acting"
• Generative AI (Current):
• You: "Write an email to my boss asking for a refund on this flight."
• AI: Writes the text.
• You: You copy the text, open your email app, paste it, find the boss's email address, and hit send.
• Role: Passive Creator.
• Agentic AI (Future):
• You: "Get me a refund on this flight."
• AI: It logs into the airline portal, navigates the UI, files the claim, argues with the chatbot, monitors the status, and only notifies you when the money is back in your account.
• Role: Active Doer.
2. How It Works: The "Loop"
Agentic AI doesn't just guess the next word; it follows a "reasoning loop" similar to human problem-solving:
1. Perceive: It reads your goal ("Plan a dinner for 6").
2. Plan: It breaks this down: Find restaurant > Check availability > Send invites > Confirm diet restrictions.
3. Act (Tool Use): It has "hands." It can click buttons, use APIs, browse the web, and control other software.
4. Reflect: If the restaurant is fully booked, it doesn't hallucinate a reservation. It "thinks": That failed. I need to find a similar restaurant nearby, and retries.
