Meet Your New Coworker: Agentic AI

July 21 2025 - While generative AI has dominated headlines with its ability to write content, answer emails, and spit out code snippets, a new form of AI is now here to steal the show. Agentic AI, a more advanced AI than its generative counterpart, doesn't just react to commands but has the ability to act autonomously.

These AI agents can reason, make decisions, and execute tasks across complex workflows without being micromanaged by a human hand. So what does this mean for enterprises today and how does it differ by industry? Is there a way for organisations to establish a workplace where humans and AI agents collaborate shoulder to shoulder?

Beyond Insight: AI That Acts

Agentic AI isn't just the next step in artificial intelligence, it's a whole new technology. Unlike traditional systems that wait for commands, Agentic AI can think, decide, and act independently. It doesn't just assist; it takes initiative, navigating complex tasks with context-aware reasoning and autonomy once reserved for human decision-makers.

"Agentic AI is the future," says Mark Skelton, Chief Technology Officer at Node4. "No longer a simple generative tool, AI can now be a true, autonomous co-worker." Agentic AI possesses capabilities comparable to humans, and as such agents are able to operate in the likeness of a human employee. AI agents can already manage tasks, communicate and coordinate with each other while learning from outcomes, and adapting in real-time.

"The true potential of artificial intelligence is beginning to emerge," says Jim Chappell, Global Head of AI and Advanced Analytics at AVEVA. "Agentic AI enables real-time execution based on AI-driven insights. This autonomy is delivering cost savings, enhanced efficiency, and greater operational resilience for organisations around the globe."

For instance, in manufacturing, an AI agent can not only detect a potential failure in a machine but reconfigure production schedules, notify maintenance, and order replacement parts. Agentic AI can do all of this autonomously and without input from humans. It doesn't just highlight the problems, but figures out how to fix it.

The Frontline Gets a Digital Upgrade

Frontline workers are often overlooked, especially when it comes to technology advancements. Perhaps not the first industry you think of needing digital tools, they are being increasingly left behind, stuck with clunky systems and manual processes. Agentic AI might finally be the tech that bridges this gap.

Mark Williams, Managing Director EMEA at WorkJam, comments, "Agentic AI is marking a transformative shift for the frontline, enabling systems that not only respond to prompts but also act autonomously, understand context, and seamlessly integrate workflows." By offloading repetitive admin tasks, these AI agents don't just boost productivity they also reduce burnout and help frontline teams focus on higher-value work.

Williams continues: "By adopting such technology, organisations can enable more agile decision making, boost operational efficiency, and empower their frontline workforce by alleviating the cognitive load of unnecessary administrative tasks. The urgency for the integration of agentic AI into frontline operations is only growing, as labour shortages, economic pressures and evolving customer expectations continue to pose a challenge."

New Digital Watch Dogs

Cybersecurity is a battleground that grows more and more complex, but it is another area where Agentic AI can step up to the plate. "Agentic AI has the potential to revolutionise the autonomy of attacks," warns Andy Swift, Cyber Security Assurance Technical Director at Six Degrees.

For cybercriminals, Agentic AI intelligence has the potential to autonomously identify high-value targets inside a breached network, overcome cyber protection mechanisms, and execute cyber-attacks. Andy adds, "This will mean cybercriminals require less skill and fewer resources to execute large scale attacks, making the threat landscape even more unpredictable and volatile."

However, here the silver lining can be found in the same capabilities, simultaneously empowering security teams to strengthen their defense.

Andy continued, "There is space for AI to be integrated into security operations, but its results vary wildly depending on who you talk to. Done right it can help speed up early detection and alert classification, which can be a useful tool in combating alert fatigue and allowing analysts to develop and work at the specialist ends of analysis."

Agentic AI Infiltrates Supply Chains

Burdened by unpredictability and complexity, logistics and supply chains also largely benefit from agentic AI as a strategic advantage.

"Geopolitical tensions, trade tariffs and changing customer expectations are all contributing to an increasingly complex supply chain," says Nicola Kinsella, Chief Strategy Officer at Fluent Commerce. "Simply routing orders is no longer adequate. Today's organisations require systems that can adapt in real time, resolve issues autonomously, and deliver seamless customer experiences.

"Agentic AI is powering these capabilities, helping provide the agility and scale that companies need to compete on a global stage," she continues. "Retailers, for example, can use agentic AI to monitor factors such as weather events, market shifts, or port delays, and predict risk using historical data. The technology can monitor vast datasets in a matter of seconds, flag delays and recommend alternative fulfilment locations. Armed with this intel, teams can automatically take action to minimise customer impact and fulfil the customer promise."

Prepare Now, or Fall Behind

In summary, an accurate and useful framing of agentic AI is as a co-worker. "Agentic AI introduces adaptive learning capabilities, allowing agents to work more like humans than technology," says Node4's Mark Skelton. These agents can learn from one another, collaborate, and improve over time.

And while there are legitimate concerns around job displacement, most experts agree that human oversight and strategic thinking will remain irreplaceable. "Humans will still be needed to provide oversight, give the agents direction and make the big business decisions," Skelton says. "No one quite knows exactly what this will look like yet, but the workplace of the future will be very different to what we know today."

So, whether it's helping factory floors run smoother, empowering retail associates, fending off cyber threats, or keeping global supply chains humming - agentic AI is no longer a theory. It's a tool. One that, if used well, could redefine productivity across industries.

But like all powerful tools, success lies in the setup. Organisations need to get their data houses in order, rethink workflows, and most importantly, be strategic about where and how autonomous agents are deployed. Because while the bots might be ready to work, they still need a boss who knows how to use them.

• More HR Technology Articles