Is the term Agentic AI new to you? Don’t worry. It seemingly became one of the most discussed terms in conversation AI overnight.
Think of Agentic AI as an AI system that doesn’t just respond to your inputs but takes action on your behalf.
This article will expand on that definition by summarising some key points from The what, why, and how of agentic AI in customer experience webinar which featured Bill O’Neill, SVP of Product & Engineering Quiq with VUX World’s Kane Simms.
What is Agentic AI?
At its core, Agentic AI is all about autonomy. The term “agentic” comes from the idea of “agency,” which means the capacity to make decisions and take actions. Traditional AI systems often function as tools, waiting for specific commands and operating within fixed parameters. Agentic AI, however, acts more like a proactive assistant.
Imagine you have an assistant that not only understands your requests but also determines the best way to fulfill them. For example, instead of simply providing information about your canceled flight, an Agentic AI could reschedule it, book you a hotel, and even offer meal vouchers—all without requiring human intervention.
If you’re still wrapping your head around it, think of Agentic AI as combining the conversational skills of chatbots with the practical problem-solving ability of a personal assistant, designed to interact, decide, and act—all while aligning with your goals.
As Bill said: “We’re going to allow it to autonomously perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with users in a goal-oriented manner, simulating a human assistant.”
How can agentic AI be successfully utilised?
As you can imagine, Agentic AI can be very powerful. Here are some of the areas where it can really shine, if implemented well:
1. Personalising Customer Experiences
Agentic AI can elevate customer interactions by offering tailored solutions in real-time. For instance, instead of relying on a chatbot with a static conversational flow, organisations can deploy systems that dynamically adapt to user needs. By understanding the context and intent behind a customer’s request, the AI can guide them seamlessly through their journey, whether it’s resolving an issue, making a purchase, or finding specific information.
2. Proactive Problem-Solving
Rather than waiting for customers to reach out, Agentic AI can proactively address potential issues. In the travel industry, for example, AI can notify customers about flight delays or cancellations and automatically suggest solutions like rebooking or providing compensation. This proactive approach not only improves customer satisfaction but also reduces the workload on human agents.
3. Streamlining Decision-Making
In retail and e-commerce, Agentic AI can act as a trusted advisor. By analysing customer preferences and behavior, it can recommend products, suggest complementary items, or guide users through complex choices. For instance, a shopper looking for an espresso machine might be asked a few targeted questions, with the AI leveraging enriched product data to suggest the best match.
4. Empowering Internal Operations
Agentic AI isn’t just for customer-facing roles—it can also revolutionise internal workflows. It can support employees by automating repetitive tasks, such as managing routine IT tickets or HR inquiries. In addition, Agentic AI can serve as a coaching tool, providing guidance and encouragement to team members in challenging situations.
5. Enhancing Multimodal Experiences
Agentic AI shines when integrated across multiple channels. For instance, it can provide seamless experiences that bridge phone, web, and messaging platforms. A user scheduling an appointment over the phone might receive a visual confirmation on their mobile device, reducing friction and improving overall satisfaction.
Get your house in order first
You can see Agentic AI as a batch of capabilities that are only really available to organisations that have already done their homework and started their AI journey. You can’t go from zero to Agentic. You should already have your house in order for AI, because there’s no sense trying to give capabilities to AI when it can’t access the required data and systems to carry them out, and you’ll need to have a skilled team to design and build it.
Make sure you do the following:
- Get your APIs ready: to truly be effective, Agentic AI needs to connect seamlessly with an organisation’s backend systems. APIs are critical for enabling the AI to access customer data, check inventory, process refunds, or make updates in real-time. Ensuring a robust integration framework is key to unlocking the full potential of Agentic AI.
- Prepare your data: clean, structured, and enriched data ensures AI systems perform effectively.
- Align your teams: AI engineers, conversation designers, and business stakeholders must collaborate closely to ensure AI delivers a great user experience, technical functionality and business value.
AI’s got talent
To implement Agentic AI organisations should start small, gradually introducing autonomy while monitoring its performance. Over time, as confidence grows, they can expand its capabilities, much like onboarding and training a new human employee.
Agentic AI represents a shift in how technology serves us. Agentic AI helps people do things, rather than just answering their questions. It solves problems, achieves goals, and delivers value. As businesses adopt and refine this technology, they’ll not only meet but exceed the expectations of their customers and employees.
Thanks to Bill O’Neill and Quiq for their insights throughout the webinar – watch it here!
See Quiq’s AI Studio in action by testing it for free here.