Agentic automation is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can decide what actions to take in order to complete a task or reach a goal. Instead of following only a fixed series of steps, the system can consider information, choose among possible actions, carry out those actions, review the results, and adjust what it does next.

For example, an agentic system asked to schedule a meeting might review calendars, identify possible meeting times, communicate with participants, respond to scheduling conflicts, and select another option when the first choice does not work.

This differs from deterministic automation, where the rules and steps are established in advance. In agentic automation, some decisions about how to complete the work are made while the process is taking place.
Agentic automation does not necessarily mean that people are removed from the process. Organizations may require human approval before an AI agent takes certain actions, especially when decisions involve people, money, privacy, safety, or other important consequences.

Organizations can also combine agentic and deterministic automation. An AI agent might determine what needs to happen, while a rule-based system controls how certain actions are carried out.

See: Augmentation vs. Automation | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library

See: Deterministic Automation | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library