Agentic AI: Is it the next big thing in AI?

If you’ve spent time in tech circles lately or even just scrolled past a few tweets, you’ve probably seen the phrase “Agentic AI” pop up. And if your first reaction was, “What exactly is that?”, you’re not alone.

There’s been a flood of new terms in the AI space. One month it’s ChatGPT. Then it’s AutoGPT. Now, it’s Agentic AI. But this one is worth paying attention to because it signals something deeper than just a new tool; it’s a shift in how we relate to technology.

Let’s break it down in plain language.

AI That Doesn’t Just Wait Around

Up till now, we’ve mostly thought of AI as reactive. You ask it a question, it gives you an answer. You feed it data, it gives you an output. It’s like a super-powered calculator or a very clever parrot.

But Agentic AI is different.

Instead of waiting for instructions, it understands the goal you’re trying to achieve and then takes steps toward that goal on its own. It thinks ahead. It makes decisions. It acts.

It’s like the difference between asking your assistant to book a flight and your assistant knowing you’re going to a conference, checking your calendar, finding the best route, and booking the flight, hotel, and car without you saying a word beyond “I’m speaking at this event.”

That’s the vibe.

Real-World Examples You’ve Gotta See

Some of the most exciting developments in this space are already live or at least being tested in the wild.

• AutoGPT and BabyAGI: These open-source experiments took the internet by storm. You give the AI a goal like “find a profitable business idea” and it breaks it into subtasks, researches the market, builds a plan, and even starts writing code or reports to make it happen.
  
  
• Devin, the AI Software Engineer (by Cognition): This one blew minds. Devin doesn’t just spit out a line of code when asked; it reads the spec, builds a dev environment, writes the code, tests it, and fixes bugs all on its own. It’s like hiring a junior developer who never sleeps.
  
  
• AI Personal Agents: From productivity tools like Taskade’s AI agents to homegrown Zapier + GPT workflows, people are already building systems where AI handles recurring tasks like managing schedules, summarizing inboxes, or even making small decisions based on rules you define.
  
  

So Why Is This a Big Deal?

Because it changes everything about how we work.

Until now, we’ve had to babysit our tools. Even with great AI, we still had to spoon-feed prompts and make sure every instruction was clear. With Agentic AI, you don’t have to be as hands-on. You set a goal, and the AI figures out how.

This opens up real possibilities:

• Imagine hiring fewer people to handle repetitive tasks in your business.
  
  
• Imagine focusing only on strategy, while your AI handles the day-to-day.
  
  
• Imagine having a personal agent that helps you manage your goals, follow up with leads, or even organize your thoughts.
  
  

It’s not just automation. It’s autonomy.

But Wait, Is This Safe?

Good question.

We’re still figuring it out. That’s part of the reason Agentic AI is such a hot topic. Giving machines more autonomy raises important questions: How much control should they have? Should there be limits to their decision-making? Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

That’s why, even as this tech evolves, human oversight is still crucial. Think of it like a co-pilot, not an autopilot. The best use cases today still involve humans setting the direction and checking in regularly.

How You Can Get Involved Even If You’re Not a Coder

Here’s the fun part: you don’t need a PhD or coding skills to start exploring this.

If you’re a tech enthusiast, you can dive into open-source projects like AutoGPT or check out Devin when it becomes public. You can start playing with tools like LangChain or ReAct-based agents that build decision-making into your prompts.

But if you’re a business owner, a freelancer, or just curious?

Start small.

• Try setting up a workflow in Zapier or Make.com where GPT answers common customer questions.
  
  
• Use ChatGPT with memory to build routines that help you work smarter.
  
  
• Build a “goal planner” agent with tools like Taskade, Notion AI, or Cognition’s free agents.
  
  
• Watch YouTube tutorials on no-code AI agent building (there are loads!).
  
  

The key is to experiment. Don’t just read about it, try it. Even if your first project is just an AI that reminds you to drink water and draft your grocery list, you’ll be learning how to work alongside these tools.

Agentic AI is not just another tool. It’s the beginning of a different kind of relationship between humans and machines. One where you’re not just telling AI what to do but collaborating with it.

And if you get ahead of this now, you’ll be in a great position to leverage it not just as a novelty, but as a real edge in whatever you do.

We’ve entered the era of the thinking assistant. So don’t be surprised when your next productivity boost doesn’t come from a new app but from a digital agent that plans, thinks, and acts right beside you.