---
title: "Agentic AI"
type: "glossary term"
url: "https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agentic-ai"
markdown: "https://aifordevs.org/glossary/agentic-ai.md"
publisher: "AI for Devs"
license: "https://aifordevs.org/reuse"
attribution: "Credit AI for Devs and link to https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agentic-ai"
---

# Agentic AI

Agentic AI is software in which a model's output selects the next step, usually a tool call, instead of a fixed script setting the order of steps. The term covers single coding agents as well as multi-agent systems.

Anthropic's guide draws the line at control flow. A workflow runs LLMs and tools through predefined code paths, and an agent lets model output direct the process and its tool use. The guide favors workflows for well-defined tasks because they are more predictable.

## Example

A support bot that always classifies, retrieves, then replies is a workflow. A bot whose model output can request a refund tool, a lookup tool, or an escalation tool at each step is agentic.

## Source

[Anthropic, Building effective agents (2024)](https://www.anthropic.com/research/building-effective-agents)

## Related terms

- [Agent](https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agent)
- [Agent loop](https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agent-loop)

## Read the article

[What is an AI agent? The loop in code, and where it fails](https://aifordevs.org/articles/what-is-an-ai-agent)

## Cite this term

AI for Devs. "Agentic AI." https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agentic-ai

- Page: https://aifordevs.org/glossary#agentic-ai
- Markdown: https://aifordevs.org/glossary/agentic-ai.md
- Reuse: Quote or summarize with a link to this page. Terms: https://aifordevs.org/reuse
- Publisher: AI for Devs