Everything you need to know about Agentic AI - Evolution of Agentic Workflows

Agentic AI is Everywhere—But What Does It Mean for Enterprises?

“It’s everywhere!”. And this is particularly true in context of Agentic AI because these LLM powered models are making the headlines for all the right reasons. But this has sparked considerable discussion among AI enthusiasts, with many wonderings: Is Agentic AI taking over Generative AI?

The answer is no. Agentic AI builds upon Generative AI in a more sophisticated form, where agency becomes a crucial characteristic. Because of this, we are entering what we like to call the ‘post-LLM era, which is changing AI workflows. And this has led to the emergence of four pillars of modern Agentic AI workflows, which are -

1. Model Specialization - More targeted value with a shift from general-purpose models to specialized ones.

2. Cognitive Processing - Integration of both rapid responses and considered human input while decision-making, inspired by the “fast and slow thinking" approach.

3. Agent Architecture- By breaking down tasks and distributing them across multiple agents we see enhanced collaboration in the agentic LLM ecosystem.

4. System Design - Shifting to a modular architecture that dynamically manages AI capabilities, making systems more adaptable and scalable.

Now the fact is that the speed with which these LLMs have grown, especially over past five years, have opened so many avenues for the AI assistances which we are working with. And each stage of this evolution has a role to play in present and future of Agentic AI workflows. So, let’s take a trip down the ‘memory’ lane to see how we reached here.

Evolution of Agentic AI workflow - From AI to generative AI to Agentic AI

Let’s be real—we’ve all wondered, why do we even need Agentic AI if we already have automation?

Sure, traditional automation helps with routine tasks, but here’s the catch: we’re still stuck juggling multiple systems, copy-pasting sequences, and endless authentication loops.

While these processes follow set patterns, they're too nuanced for simple automation - requiring human judgment to navigate complex business rules and situational needs.

This constant context-switching drains resources and traps skilled professionals in mechanical tasks rather than value-adding work (which at the end defeats the purpose of automation, doesn’t it).

And hence we see the journey of traditional AI to agentic AI workflows marking a significant development.

1. RPA (Robotic Process Automation): The Foundation

The genesis of Agentic workflows traces back to RPA, which automated repetitive tasks through rule-based programming. Now for a technology whose value proposition heavily lies on its capabilities to draw insights from various data types of data sources, it’s natural to have various APIs combining the data at one place. Now if you see at scale, not having a proper workflow for the same will affect your data stewardship.

While effective for structured processes, these systems lacked adaptability and required explicit programming for each task.

2. Traditional AI Models: The Evolution

As AI evolved, it built on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) by incorporating Reinforcement Learning (RL) and machine learning. This gave AI systems the ability to recognize patterns and make smarter decisions, allowing them to handle more than just repetitive tasks. Instead of following a predefined set of rules, these bots became more adaptable and capable of automating increasingly complex processes and repetitive tasks.

Enterprise Implementation

However, while these systems introduced learning capabilities, they still operated within confined domains and required extensive human oversight for adaptation to new scenarios.

3. Generative AI: The Revolution

The emergence of generative AI literally marked a paradigm shift, in AI architecture and capabilities. Transformer-based models revolutionized natural language processing. These models excel at creating content, understanding context, and generating human-like responses.

Key Capabilities

LLM Integration Framework

This phase brought us foundational LLMs (which work as the reasoning core of Agentic AI architecture) and tools like Copilot, fundamentally changing how AI systems interact with human users.

4. Agentic AI : The Transformation

Now with Agentic AI We’re now entering the 'post-LLM era,' where AI moves from task-focused tools to agents that can handle complex, interconnected processes. Agentic AI pushes beyond traditional automation, combining earlier AI advancements into more autonomous systems. Systems don't just generate content – they act with agency, making decisions and executing tasks with greater autonomy.

Its capabilities range from doing simple to complex task.

Now as soon as we talk about the range of capabilities of agentic AI we are often asked – what is the difference between Bots, Copilot and Agents.

Bots VS CoPilot VS Agents

Now for better understanding, let’s flip the switch to see how a bot, copilot and an agent react to the simple act of turning a light. Let’s see which one of them illuminate the situation best.

Now that we've explored the evolution from simple bots to sophisticated AI Agents, understanding their distinct capabilities, the natural question is: Where should I begin mapping Agentic Workflow Opportunities?

Finding your starting point with Agentic AI opportunity Matrix

Now that you see how Agentic AI capabilities range from a simple bot into a fully autonomous agent (now It's on you how you built on it). So, the million-dollar question is: looking at that matrix, what gets you most excited? "Customer Centricity," "Customer Focus," "Enterprise Operations," or "Strategic Innovation"?

Customize using pre-built multi-agent networks that reduce development time and risk.

Each direction on the map represents a different kind of opportunity. But unlocking their full potential depends on two key factors:

1. Your company’s AI maturity—How ready is your organization to integrate autonomous decision-making?

2. Your reasoning model—Which AI model will serve as the best "brain" for your workflows?

Q1). How to Prioritize Agentic AI Use Cases?

• The X-axis might represent autonomy levels (e.g., from assistive AI to fully autonomous AI).
• The Y-axis might represent impact or feasibility (e.g., from experimental use cases to high-value, scalable applications).

Prioritization Framework:

1. Top-right quadrant (High Autonomy + High Impact) → Immediate Priority

• These represent transformative opportunities with the highest potential return but may require significant investment and organizational change. (E.g., Drug discovery agent).

2. Top-left quadrant (Low Autonomy + High Impact) → Strategic Priority

• These offer substantial business value with more manageable implementation requirements but require human oversight. (E.g., Process Optimization Agent).

3. Bottom-right quadrant (High Autonomy + Lower Impact) → Conditional Priority

• Useful if aligned with specific business goals but not an urgent investment. (E.g., Personal Shopping Agent).

4. Bottom-left quadrant (Low Autonomy + Low Impact) → Future Potential

• These are typically easier to implement but with more modest returns.

Q2). Which reasoning model will work best for my agentic AI workflows?

This will dependent a lot on your task need. For better understanding here's a comparison chart between both reasoning models which will help you make a better decision.

GPT-4o vs. 03 for Agentic AI Workflows

Experts’ Suggestion

Your Agentic AI Journey starts here

The journey from RPA to Agentic AI marks a shift from automation to autonomy. But success won’t come from simply adopting it—it’s about strategically integrating it into your ecosystem in a way that enhances efficiency, decision-making, and innovation.

How to Get Started with Agentic AI

✔ Start Small, Think Big – Begin with focused applications in areas like customer service or process automation, but always plan for long-term transformation.

✔ Embrace Hybrid Models – Use GPT-4o for fast decision-making and O3 for deep reasoning to get the best of both worlds.

✔ Promote a Culture of AI Literacy – The more your teams understand AI’s strengths and limitations, the better they can leverage its potential.

✔ Prioritize Ethical AI – As AI gains more autonomy, setting clear ethical guidelines is critical to ensuring responsible deployment.

✔ Stay Agile – AI is moving fast. The winners will be those who build flexible, future-ready systems.

At the end of the day, Agentic AI isn’t about replacing human intelligence—it’s about amplifying it. The businesses that thrive will be those that find the perfect balance between human creativity and AI capability.

So, the real question is: Where will you start your Agentic AI journey?

PS- In the upcoming blog you are going to see Agentic AI in action. Stay tuned for more!