I have just finished reading Agentic Artificial Intelligence, a work coordinated by Pascal Bornet alongside leading figures such as Thomas H. Davenport and Jochen Wirtz. After diving into its pages, it is clear that we are not facing a simple tool, but a paradigm shift: the arrival of digital agents capable of acting, deciding, and executing objectives autonomously.
We are no longer just talking about technology; we are talking about new “actors” within our organizations.
From automating tasks to delegating intelligent decisions
The book’s central thesis is compelling: AI is evolving toward agentic systems. Unlike traditional models, these systems are not just capable of answering questions; they can:
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Plan and take decisions independently.
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Execute complete processes by coordinating multiple tasks.
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Collaborate in hybrid teams made up of humans and digital agents.
This transition does not represent incremental efficiency. It is, in essence, a structural organizational redesign.
The company of the future: leadership and strategic oversight
To adopt Agentic AI and business purpose coherently, organizations must redefine their processes. This involves creating new roles—such as AI orchestrators or agent designers—and a deep cultural shift: moving from traditional control to strategic oversight.
While the potential for exponential productivity and reduced operational friction is enormous, an uncomfortable question arises: Productivity for what?
The invisible risk: efficiency without purpose
If we deploy autonomous agents solely to reduce costs, replace jobs, or optimize margins, we risk amplifying inequalities at an unprecedented speed. Agentic AI multiplies operational capacity, but it also multiplies impact, for better or for worse.
The human differential in the age of autonomy
In a world managed by autonomous agents, human value does not disappear; instead, it shifts toward areas where the machine cannot reach:
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Critical thinking and ethical judgment.
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Empathy and disruptive creativity.
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Strategic vision and the formulation of purpose.
AI can execute objectives with astonishing precision, but it cannot decide which objectives are worth pursuing. That decision remains, and must remain, human.
Designing agents with intent: the impact economy
From the perspective of the purpose economy, the challenge is not how to use the technology, but how to design it with intent. An agent can be configured to optimize a sustainable supply chain, measure social impact in real-time, or improve financial inclusion. Or, it can simply optimize the extraction of value.
“The difference does not lie in the algorithm, but in the leadership’s mental model”.
The new operating system of the economy
We are facing a structural change comparable to the Industrial Revolution or the arrival of the internet. History teaches us that technological transitions can generate prosperity or inequality depending on the rules, incentives, and purpose that guide them.
If we design agents only for efficiency, we will get results without a soul. But if we orient them to solve social and environmental challenges with economic rigor, we will be facing one of the greatest levers for positive impact in history.
The technology is already ready. The question is whether our vision is