Because AI Agents can determine how to get things done, this is a major opportunity
From improving operations, innovation, cybersecurity, supply chain management, etc. – AI Agents are assisting in having better processes and decision making by automating complex, multistep tasks in real time.
The term agentic AI, or AI agents, refers to AI systems capable of independent decision-making and autonomous behavior. These systems can reason, plan and perform actions, adapting in real time to achieve specific goals. Unlike traditional automation tools that follow predetermined pathways, AI Agents don’t rely on a fixed set of instructions. Instead, they learn as well as recognize patterns and relationships to determine the best approach to achieving an objective. To do this, AI Agents break down a larger main objective into smaller subtasks. These subtasks are then delegated to more specialized AI models, often using more traditional, narrow AI models designed for specific actions.
The decisions and actions of these component AI systems ultimately enable the AI Agent to achieve its primary objective. And this capability is quickly maturing since the idea of agents has been around for a while. The reason why AI Agents are getting so much attention now is because large language models (LLMs) and Generative AI (Gen AI) have accelerated progress. According to ” Deloitte’s State of Generative AI in the Enterprise “report, agentic AI is one of the most closely watched areas with respondents indicating agentic AI (52 %) and multiagent systems (45 %) — a more complex variant of agentic AI — as the two most interesting areas in AI today.
AI experts and enterprise leaders see AI Agents delivering value across many business functions and industries by optimizing operations and processes, getting more benefits from information resources and their personnel, being better at innovation, streamlining workflows, automating more tasks and procedures, simplifying operations, augmenting human capabilities, having more options to increase brand value, enhancing decision-making, provide more ways to increase relevance and revenue, etc.
Examples showcasing AI Agents improving outcomes include –
1. Better Creation
While Gen AI can produce text, images and video, Agentic AI takes it a step further. For example, tell an AI Agent to develop a multimedia report, it will organize subtasks such as research, text generation, image selection and design with various AI systems to deliver a more refined and complete result. This use case exemplifies Agentic AI as an orchestrator of AI capabilities, rather than a narrow, single-function technology. This ability enables organizations to make innovation more rewarding by being better at creation.
2. Getting More Benefits from Information Resources
Agentic AI improves knowledge retrieval by accessing information and taking action based on insights. An example of this is an Agentic AI Chatbot accessing a knowledge base, answering user queries, running next-best actions, etc. To illustrate further, in IT helpdesk operations earlier-generation chatbots could answer specific, well-defined user questions – whereas an AI Agent does more by better : analyzing issues, offering options, narrowing down information and even implementing recommended solutions. Further, if unable to resolve the problem, the AI Agent can triage the issue and route it to a human agent along with relevant information – to save the user the time and effort of having to explain the issue again and repeat the details. This goes a long way to improving the User eXperience, increase brand appeal, etc.
3. Reduce Business Risk and System Security
Agentic AI can aid in enterprise security operations and risk reduction efforts by orchestrating the components of those activities. For example, AI Agents in a security operations center can proactively scan for new and emerging threats, investigate anomalies and automatically take corrective action (without the need for human intervention). Similarly, in risk management, AI Agents can search for unusual activity, investigate those patterns to determine if they’re truly fraudulent, and automatically respond as needed.
4. More Adaptable Supply Chains and Logistics
Agentic AI is also useful in the supply chain and logistics field, where orchestrating multiple tasks is the norm. For example, if a drought in a growing region affects the availability and cost of produce, human supply chain workers typically would have to check available supplies in other regions, confirm prices, reconfigure supply and distribution routes, and find alternative sources of produce. Historically, workers used technology to handle much, but not all, of that work. Now, agentic AI can orchestrate the entire workflow. For example, now supply chain workers could input the desired outcome to find and deliver the needed quantity and quality of supplies at the lowest cost or with the quickest delivery — and have the system to not only identify how to do so, but automatically initiate the actions to make it happen.
5. Better Performing Call Centers
AI Agents are already ” running at scale ” in call centers that is building on the improvements and efficiencies of traditional AI. For example, AI Agents in call centers orchestrate intelligence and automation across multiple activities serving customers. With this, an AI Agent can simultaneously analyze customer sentiment, review order history, access company policies, and provide a quick response to the customer based on those elements.
6. Improved Customer Service
Agentic AI can also improve customer service overall by assisting human employees “get the answer faster and serve the customer better “. This is because AI Agents better enable all employees, regardless of skill or experience, address a variety of requests and provide a consistently high level of service to customers. Furthermore, AI Agents can proactively serve customers at a level that human employees or even traditional AI generally cannot. An example of this is a utility company having an AI Agent identify customers who will receive unusually high bills – contact them with that information – offer specific, accurate and personalized information about why their bills are so high – and suggest ways to lower their bills in the future.
7. Making Innovation More Rewarding
Agentic AI shows contributes to improving outcomes from innovation initiatives in areas such as drug discovery and new material creation. While various technologies, including machine learning and non-agentic AI, have been used in these areas for decades, AI Agents raise the bar with additional capabilities. For example, with an AI Agent smart enough to say – “ This is what is known and based on these materials and [the characteristics the user is seeking] and based on the analysis, here’s the new material or combination of elements needed to produce the desired results “. In addition, if requested, the AI Agentic can also develop the recipe for a new compound, identify the optimal suppliers (based on cost, quality, element availability, timing, etc.) and even order the needed materials.
8. Improvements in Military Logistics
AI Agents are used in the military for logistics planning – a highly complex task that involves moving material, equipment and troops via multiple transport modes across various distances and geographies. In these cases, AI Agents are used to augment human judgement to assist in orchestrating tasks to better assure achieving objectives.
9. More Efficient and Flexible Manufacturing
AI Agents are making decisions and performing autonomous actions in processes encompassing multiple functions and IT systems. For example, an agentic AI workflow could span from procurement to actual manufacturing, connecting to IT systems that power various components and using narrow AI models to complete subtasks. With this, the AI Agent performs a multistep workflow –
- Recognize that a needed material is running low.
- Flag that the material is not in stock from the regular supplier.
- Search and order from alternative suppliers – who can ship the material to the manufacturer within a previously specified price range and time frame.
- Fill out the necessary forms.
- Populate the required data within the appropriate systems.
- Reconfigure factory floor and production schedules to meet established deadlines.
While historically this has been done by humans, it can be more quickly done by an AI Agent – with better outcomes when there is a “ human in the loop “.
10. Providing new Capabilities in Utility Companies
AI Agents are used in the utilities industry to orchestrate decision-making and subtask automation to achieve an objective specified by the utility. For instance, utility companies are testing AI agents’ ability to assess, triage and organize responses to disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. The AI Agent can analyze data to rate infrastructure damage and its effect on individuals and communities; plan and schedule rescue and repair work; and route the workers and materials needed to complete repairs on time. This can dramatically accelerate recovery times to mitigate risk and cost, plus save lives. For example, a U.K. utility company uses an AI Agent addresses a regulatory requirement to contact customers with special needs, such as medical conditions, within a certain timeframe during outages. The utility company struggled to meet the requirements using conventional technologies but has had success with AI agents since they not only alert customers to disruption but also inquire about their needs, understand that communication and act upon it.
AI Agents are a fundamental shift to meaningfully outcomes from innovation
Given the significant benefits, many organizations are exploring opportunities for AI Agents. And because they are a very powerful tool, AI Agents are in the process of bringing a fundamental change in how we operate, create new ways of working, better enable organizations to innovate for impact, generate new value, etc. – for competitive advantage and to meaningfully improve business outcomes – sooner than later.
March 26, 2025 – by Mary K. Pratt / CAIL – CAIL Innovation commentary
info@cail.com www.cail.com 905-940-9000