Agentic AI: Redefining how we work with technology

AI adoption is gaining serious momentum across Australia, with over 60% of businesses now placing it among their top three strategic priorities. What was once seen as a back-office tool has become a key driver of innovation, productivity and growth across the enterprise.

Now, a new phase of adoption is taking shape. AI is no longer just about automating tasks, it is enabling smarter decisions, faster action and greater agility.

This next frontier is being shaped by Agentic AI. Unlike traditional systems, Agentic AI can interpret context, identify opportunities and act without waiting for instruction. For businesses, it opens the door to more intelligent operations and the ability to adapt instantly to changing conditions.

Reactive to proactive

Unlike traditional AI, which is reactive and depends on prompts or commands, Agentic AI operates independently. It observes, plans and acts based on its own understanding of the environment, without human oversight. Instead of waiting for input, it anticipates needs and takes initiative.

What really sets Agentic AI apart is its autonomy — and that translates into real business value. In a supply chain scenario, for instance, if a major route is unexpectedly closed due to a disaster, Agentic AI can immediately assess alternatives and reroute logistics. It doesn't escalate the issue or pause for human input. It responds, adapts and executes. That ability to self-direct in critical moments makes Agentic AI a practical solution for operational resilience, not just a vision of what's next.

Turning data into decisions

As Australia's digital economy accelerates, businesses are navigating growing complexity, from labour shortages to rising compliance demands in sectors like financial services.

Agentic AI thrives in this environment. It can rapidly process structured and unstructured data across systems, prioritising based on relevance, sensitivity or risk. This is especially valuable in highly regulated industries like financial services and healthcare. It is also becoming increasingly relevant in cybersecurity, where identifying subtle threat patterns across large, complex data sets is critical. Agentic AI can help surface these risks faster and enable quicker, more proactive responses.

For example, manufacturers are using Agentic AI to analyse shipment data, supplier inputs and demand forecasts in real time. The system identifies delays and adjusts inventory forecasts automatically — reducing downtime and avoiding costly stockouts.

To make this work, businesses need the right foundation: real-time data access, system interoperability and a clear strategy for integrating AI into decision-making processes.

Scaling with Precision

Agentic AI is helping businesses scale with speed and precision, particularly when embedded in cloud platforms. In the retail sector, companies are using it to transform raw data into real-time insights, drawn from customer interactions across social media, contact centres and in-store channels.

Rather than waiting for post-campaign reports, Agentic AI identifies emerging trends and adjusts advertising spend or messaging in the moment. This level of responsiveness not only boosts campaign performance but allows retailers to adapt continuously to customer needs.

Real scalability means more than deploying new tools. It requires embedding AI into strategy, aligning it with business outcomes, and building teams that can collaborate with autonomous systems. When businesses and AI systems work in sync, scaling becomes smarter, faster and more sustainable.

Raising the bar for human-centred collaboration

Agentic AI is not just accelerating automation. It is creating a continuous feedback loop between machine intelligence and human judgment. These systems can process vast amounts of data, identify trends and surface insights, while humans bring the context, ethical considerations and strategic direction. As each side learns from the other, businesses build smarter and more adaptive models that strengthen over time.

This shift is already underway. Gartner predicts that by 2028, more than 33% of enterprise software applications will include Agentic AI, up from less than 1% in 2024. From screening job candidates to approving loans, these systems will help organisations make faster and more consistent decisions. The real transformation will come from businesses that embrace AI as a true collaborator, using it to elevate how they think, operate and grow.