Agentic AI: autonomous digital collaborators

Agentic AI refers to a new generation of artificial intelligence systems capable not only of responding to prompts or commands, but also of acting independently to achieve predefined goals. Unlike traditional AI, which follows static instructions, Agentic AI can plan, make decisions, adapt to its environment, and even delegate tasks to other AI agents in order to complete complex operations.1

This marks a paradigm shift: from tools that respond, to proactive digital entities that “collaborate” with humans in a much more sophisticated way. It deeply transforms professional roles, required competencies, and leadership.

How Agentic AI works

  • Receives a goal (e.g., “write a proposal for client X”)
  • Breaks the task into subtasks
  • Determines the execution order
  • Uses APIs, external data, or interacts with other systems
  • Monitors its own progress and adjusts if needed

This ability to plan, decide, and adapt is what makes it “agentic”: it’s not just “intelligent,” it is functionally autonomous.

Agentic AI vs Traditional AI

  • Traditional AI: reactive, task-specific, lacking long-term memory.
  • Agentic AI: proactive, goal-oriented, able to learn from context.2

Implications for the Future of Work

This technology is rapidly becoming mainstream thanks to platforms like OpenAI, LangChain, AutoGPT, and integrations between LLMs and operational tools (CRM, document automation, project management).

It brings three major implications:

  • New collaboration models: Agentic AIs work alongside human teams, handling operations, synthesis, and reporting.
  • Shift in human skillsets: increasing need for critical thinking, oversight, strategic decision making, and data literacy.
  • Leadership reconfiguration: leading hybrid teams (humans + AI) requires new relational, ethical, and strategic skills.3

Agentic AI in HR and L&D contexts

  • Predictive analysis of training needs
  • Automatic creation of personalized upskilling paths
  • Generation of actionable HR reports
  • Support in selection interviews through dynamic screening and real-time coaching for recruiters

Leadership and responsibility in the age of Agentic AI

The rise of autonomous digital agents raises new questions:

  • Who is responsible for decisions made by AI acting independently?
  • How can AI be integrated into decision-making processes without eroding team accountability?
  • How does this reshape our perception of trust, mistakes, and human value?4

These questions require leaders who can think systemically, ethically, and relationally. The presence of Agentic AI does not eliminate the human role: it makes it more complex — and more strategic.

A real-life example

In a recent case, a marketing team used an Agentic AI to generate and test 20 campaign versions in just 3 hours. The human team then analyzed the results and refined the messaging, improving ROI by 28% with half the resources. The AI handled the “doing,” while the team focused on the “why.”

Conclusion

Agentic AI is the new frontier of intelligent work. It’s a powerful ally — but only if guided by conscious leadership. It calls for new skills, new rules, and a work culture that knows how to enhance what makes us truly human: meaning, relationships, and judgment.

References