The rise of agentic AI and the future of human work

Will humans be replaced by machines sooner than we thought? Generative artificial intelligence (AI) took the world by storm just over a year ago and, now, the next leap for robotkind has arrived: agentic AI. And its rise is fast creating a new business reality.

Unlike its predecessor, which wowed the world with its ability to create from amassed knowledge, agentic AI doesn’t just generate content. It also takes action.

It operates autonomously, orchestrating complex workflows, solving problems and making decisions without constant human input.

Agentic AI operates autonomously

Carmen Murray, a netnographer who studies people’s online interactions and cultural experience, says: “Picture this: a business of one with the capacity of hundreds.

“A personal assistant that doesn’t just organise your day but runs your operations, or a clone of yourself tackling the mundane while you focus on strategy and creativity.

“This isn’t science fiction anymore, but science fact.”

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Agentic AI holds the potential to transform industries, whether in services or manufacturing, promising efficiency, scalability and a new era of digital autonomy.

It may, however, come at a significant human opportunity cost: jobs.

Sectors like financial services, media and entertainment, health care, retail, logistics, supply chain, manufacturing, legal, compliance, customer support, and call centres will be impacted first.

Sectors that will be impacted first

Agentic AI can enhance fraud detection, risk management, personalised content, diagnostics, inventory management, real-time optimisation, predictive maintenance, contract analysis, regulatory monitoring, and speed up service resolutions.

It’s a long and potentially both frightening and simultaneously exciting list, depending on your perspective.

Absa’s Johnson Idesoh, group chief information and technology officer, sees agentic AI as a transformative technology.

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“By enabling real-time analysis and decision-making, agentic AI can improve business processes such as credit scoring, fraud detection and customer sentiment analysis, leading to better service delivery and customer satisfaction,” Idesoh said.

“In 2025, we will focus on understanding agentic AI, with the view of how it can be used to enhance customer satisfaction and opportunities for seamless colleague experience.

“The implications for human capital are both promising and challenging. Absa acknowledges the importance of human oversight in AI applications and is committed to upskilling employees.

Employees equipped with skills to manage and leverage these technologies

“This approach ensures that while automation enhances efficiency, employees are equipped with the necessary skills to manage and leverage these technologies effectively.”

A MultiChoice spokesperson said the company has been exploring artificial intelligence for some time. “Our initial consideration is to ensure that the technology fits a business need and is not just adopted for the sake of surfing the latest trends.”

Potential applications in media are vast, from personalising viewer engagement to streamlining content production.

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“Agents represent a very important part of the latest round of AI improvements,” the spokesperson said, adding that responsible AI deployment is a key focus.

“While it is still early days for agentic AI becoming mainstream, our upskilling programmes will continue to focus on how to equip people with the right skills to be the best contributors they can be within the organisation.”

Murray said agentic AI’s potential is undeniable.

Agentic AI’s potential undeniable

For businesses, it promises cost reductions, improved efficiency and the ability to scale operations without proportional increases in human resources.

“The idea that our intelligence belongs to an employer, but perhaps that it is augmented and expanded by AI to create our own empire within… these are the real skills you need for the future,” Murray said.

“The key lies in adaptation. The businesses of tomorrow will not just be powered by AI but by the synergy of human ingenuity and machine efficiency.”

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This vision paints a future where AI handles the mundane, and humans focus on what truly matters: creativity, connection, and purpose.

“The question isn’t whether agentic AI will reshape the world,” she said.

“It’s how we, as individuals and organisations, will adapt to this new reality.”