What is…
Agentic AI (AI agents)
AI that doesn't just answer — it plans, takes actions with tools, checks results and keeps going until the job is done.
A chatbot responds to one message. An agent works in a loop: understand the goal → plan → act (search, run code, click, edit files, call APIs) → observe what happened → adjust → repeat. Coding agents like Claude Code, Codex and Cursor's agent, research modes that browse dozens of sites, and assistants that operate a browser are all agentic.
The skill shifts from writing the perfect prompt to delegating well: clear goals, the right permissions, and checkpoints for review.
💡 Think of it like
The difference between asking a friend for directions and handing them your keys to run the errand.
🧠 Test yourself
Which of these describes Agentic AI?
Related terms
Tool use (function calling)
A model's ability to call external tools — search, calculators, code, APIs — and use the results.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
An open standard for plugging AI apps into tools and data — a 'USB-C port' for AI.
Orchestration & subagents
Coordinating multiple AI agents — a lead agent splits work, hands pieces to subagents, and merges the results.
Human in the loop
Designing AI workflows so a person reviews or approves key steps.
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