The next phase of AI has emerged, and it goes by the name of Agentic AI. Operating with greater independence than standard GenAI solutions, Agentic AI tackles more complex tasks, handles ambiguity beyond traditional automation, makes decisions, and drives outcomes without human intervention.
It’s more than an efficiency booster – it represents a paradigm shift in how businesses operate, innovate, and scale.
Companies must now ask themselves: Are we ready to embrace AI that not only assists but autonomously executes? Up until now, most businesses have focused on AI tools as a way to accelerate and streamline workflows, improving efficiency, and optimizing processes. But the next phase promises a shift that will once again redefine the way we work.
In other words, the era of Agentic AI has arrived.
CTO of EMEA at Extreme Networks.
What is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI moves beyond today’s conversational AI chatbots and robotic process automation (RPA). Instead of just responding to queries or processing predefined workflows, AI agents operate independently, make decisions, and take proactive action based on real-time data and learned behaviors.
These agents can collaborate, adapt, and execute complex sequences of tasks with minimal human intervention, bridging the gap between static automation and true autonomy.
Imagine a network monitoring system that doesn’t just identify a security vulnerability but actively remediates it. Or an AI-powered IT helpdesk that doesn’t just respond to a ticket but anticipates and resolves an issue before an employee even realizes there’s a problem. Well, these features aren’t the lofty, visionary promises of the future.
They’re already here.
The three phases of AI
However, rolling Agentic AI out to the mainstream requires a structured approach that aligns with how trust is built between humans and AI, ensuring that businesses move from simple automation to true autonomy in a way that builds confidence and trust – and ultimately, adoption. It’s easy to forget that AI adoption is not a switch we flip; it’s a progression.
This is where the ARC framework (Accelerate, Replace, Create) comes into play, offering a roadmap for AI adoption and a way to assess the ROI of an AI initiative. It serves as the key selection standard for identifying the right opportunities in the vast ocean of possibilities created by recent advancements in AI technology.
Accelerate: Focuses on AI-assisted automation, where AI enhances human decision-making by providing insights, recommendations, and analytics. Here, AI acts as a supportive tool, streamlining workflows and improving efficiency without replacing human oversight.
Replace: AI takes over specific tasks or processes. While humans still maintain control, AI supports them by enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. During this phase, businesses typically still require mechanisms for human oversight—this fosters trust and ensures the reliability of AI before transitioning to full autonomy. Additionally, humans collaborate with AI, using it as an augmented analytics solution.
Create: This is where Agentic AI comes into play, with AI operating fully autonomously. It continuously learns from data, user input, and context, making complex decisions in real time and generating innovative solutions without direct human involvement. At this stage, AI becomes a trusted partner, driving unparalleled efficiency and innovation in business operations.
This framework offers a strategic roadmap for AI adoption and identifying ROI, guiding businesses from basic automation to the advanced, collaborative systems of Agentic AI. By following the ARC phases, organizations can move toward full autonomy, driving real ROI through enhanced efficiency, innovation, and smarter decision-making.
Bridging the trust gap
Standing in the way of the “Create” phase of AI adoption is trust – and trust is not linear. Businesses often assume that trust will increase steadily as AI systems prove their capabilities.
In reality, trust in AI ebbs and flows.
When AI is first introduced in an organization, users may find it helpful and intriguing. Still, when AI is given more tasks or decision-making power, some users may experience concerns about reliability and accuracy, which can affect trust levels.
This is why oversight and a phased adoption is critical. Companies must gradually build, reinforce, and validate trust at every deployment stage.
Additionally, trust varies by use case. Employees may trust AI to handle administrative tasks but hesitate regarding high-stakes decisions like security monitoring, compliance enforcement, or financial forecasting. And that’s why organizations must contextualize trust, ensuring AI is introduced in a way that aligns with employees’ comfort levels and expertise.
Adapting to the Agentic AI era
So, how do businesses adapt to this transformation?
For starters, investing in AI literacy is essential. Having the right talent with AI expertise ensures that leadership teams and employees understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, and best use cases. These talents can also inform the company’s governance frameworks to provide ethical, transparent, and accountable deployment – essential for building trust and driving adoption.
Crucially, companies need to adopt a hybrid AI-human approach, using AI agents to work alongside people rather than replace them entirely. Businesses should also start small and scale strategically, beginning with pilot projects to test the effectiveness of AI agents before deploying at scale.
Instead of adopting AI simply for the sake of innovation, businesses should use the ARC framework to identify transformative applications that have a lasting impact. This ensures AI adoption is an ongoing, value-driven process, supporting strategic goals and ROI-focused investments.
The new era is now
AI is rapidly evolving from a passive assistant to an active decision-maker. It’s only a matter of time. The businesses that stand out and thrive in the coming years will be those that embrace Agentic AI, not just as a tool but as a fundamental part of how work gets done.
The bottom line? If your AI strategy is still focused on automation, it may be time to rethink your approach. The future will favor those ready to deploy, trust, and collaborate with AI agents. The time to adapt isn’t down the road–it’s now.
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