Agentic AI is presented as the leap from enhanced autocomplete to autonomous systems that pursue user goals and act independently. The term functions as a malleable buzzword that absorbs vague hopes and enables sales and funding cycles. Promised capabilities include autonomous cybersecurity bots that invent countermeasures and personal agents that schedule events, purchase items, or take more sinister actions. Significant risks arise when autonomy meets regulated professions, as erroneous or hallucinated outputs can cause malpractice or harmful decisions. The marketing-driven use of 'agentic' often obscures technical limitations, safety concerns, and legal liabilities that remain unresolved.
Supposedly, the word of the year in technology is "agentic." By the end of the year it'll probably be "bubble," but for now the world is meant to tremble before the awesome promise of agentic. It takes AI to a whole new level! It heralds the new human-free workforce! It keeps Woody Harrelson out of the rain! As the shiny object economy grows complacent with magic interactive chatbots, the agentic AI era to transform those humdrum chatbots into something... else.
The hype machine gods must feed and are only satisfied with the blood of freshly squeezed buzzwords. What does "agentic" even mean? "The term 'agent' is one of the most egregious acts of fraud I've seen in my entire career writing about this crap, and that includes the metaverse," writes tech journalist Ed Zitron and, somehow, he might be too forgiving. The agentic talk means everything and nothing all at once. That's the power of an empty signifier!
In theory, agentic AI represents the leap from autocomplete-on-steroids to autonomous action - taking an understanding of the user's goals and setting out on its own to get the job done. Imagine a cybersecurity bot surveying the evolving threat landscape and inventing its own countermeasures as new viruses emerge all while you're still fumbling with two-factor authentication. Other tech companies promote agents that monitor your calendar and autonomously decide to book your dinner, or buy flowers, or plot the grisly demise of your enemies.
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