Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly integrated into all aspects of lifeโpersonal, professional, and business. Its positive impact is encouraging leaders across politics, the economy, society, and business to create strategies for adopting AI, particularly with the rise of the Agentic Economy.
Today, Agentic Economy has become an active economic participant, reshaping industry and labour markets in comparison to the changes witnessed during the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution in England around 1760 marked a shift from agrarian economies to machine-driven manufacturing. Similarly, Agentic Economy is revolutionising the industry and businesses. This required the speed of the digital world, goal-driven, and plan and act independently โ at present, we have AI systems that can think and act independently. Agentic Economy not only demands suggestions but also looks for decision-making and execution as its core. So, the dawn of the Agentic era in the form of Auto Pilot is overshadowing the previous Copilot format.
Here is a brief narration of the journey from Copilot to Autopilot.
When GitHub Copilot first appeared, it felt revolutionary: an AI that could suggest code, accelerate workflows, and act as a partner in creativity. But, it was still saddled in the Copilot eraโ at this point, AI emerged as an assistant, not a driver. Today, we are seeing the dawn of something far more transformative: the Agentic Economy, where autonomous AI systems operate like autopilots, executing tasks, making decisions, and interacting with other agents in complex ecosystems.ย
For example, imagine a software engineer in 2021. The engineer, โMiss Smartโ used Copilot to draft code snippets, but โMiss Smartโ still reviewed, edited, and deployed every act herself. The scenario in 2026: โMiss Smartโsโ company operates Agentic AI systems that not only write code but also handle debugging, testing, deployment, and monitoring throughout the production process. Her role has changed;ย though she sets the strategic goals, but, the AI handles execution end-to-end.ย
This is the leap from Copilot to Autopilotโfrom augmentation to autonomy became the turning point in the way every industry works.ย
What Makes Agentic AI Different?
Agentic AI isnโt just smarter; itโs goal-driven. Instead of waiting for prompts, these systems:
- Plan and act independently: They donโt just suggest; they execute.ย
- Adapt to environments: Supply chain agents reroute logistics when weather disrupts shipping.ย
- Collaborate with peers: Financial trading agents negotiate with other agents in milliseconds.
- Learn continuously: They can refine strategies without continuous retraining sessions.
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The Economic Shift
Economists are calling this the Agentic Economyโa system where AI agents become active participants in value creation. The implications are vast:
- Productivity gains: Trillions of dollars in potential output as routine tasks vanish.
- New industries: Autonomous logistics, AI-driven consulting, and self-optimising manufacturing.ย
- Labour redefinition: Humans shift from operators to strategists, focusing on creativity, ethics, and oversight.
The technology behind the Agentic Economy is being embraced by businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises to large conglomerates. At the outset, it looks good and convenient, time-saving and can enable economy of scale. However, like any new invention, this too comes with both pros and cons, opportunities and risks.
ย A simple look at potential opportunities, and anyone can guess the democratisation of expertise. It sees AI agents acting as analysts, engineers, or advisors for anyone.ย It also promotes faster innovation cycles โ the reason – ideas move from conception to execution in days, not months.ย Yet another positive of Agentic AI is that it is a resilient system leading to seamlessly help supply chains, finance, and healthcare become more adaptive.ย
Agentic Economy also has certain disadvantages and risks. The first casualty is felt in the job market, – the reason โ it can pave the way for job displacement in repetitive roles.ย Ethical concerns regarding accountability are also a drawback. The pressing question is: who bears responsibility when an agent errs? This is where the core issue arises.
Concerns are rising that the concentration of power among companies controlling Agentic AI infrastructure could make them a dominating force in the industrial sectors.
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Navigating the Agentic Future
The rise of the Agentic Economy is not about replacing humansโitโs about redefining collaboration. In fact, world leaders who have gathered at the AI Impact Summit at New Delhi in February 2026 have opined that AI and Human intelligence go hand in hand. When human intelligence collaborates with Agentic AI, the result is higher productivity, enhanced human capabilities, and accelerated business growth. Example: Example: Autopilot didnโt eliminate pilots but changed their role, agentic AI will shift human work toward oversight, creativity, and strategic vision.ย
The challenge is ensuring this transformation is responsible, inclusive, and ethical. If guided well, the Agentic Economy could become the most profound productivity revolution since the Industrial Age.ย
Agentic AI is being deployed across multiple sectors in recent times, reshaping workflows and organisational models.
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Key Sectors of Deployment:
Finance & Banking sector is using Agentic AI for fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and customer service automation.
Healthcare – Hospitals and research labs are increasingly deploying agentic AI for diagnostics, drug discovery, and patient monitoring. Autonomous agents can triage cases, recommend treatments, and accelerate clinical trials.
Manufacturing & Supply Chains are yet another area where AI agents optimise production lines, predict maintenance needs, and coordinate logistics. Their autonomy reduces downtime and enhances efficiency.
Retail and e-commerce companies are also joining the trend. Personalised shopping assistants, inventory management, and dynamic pricing are increasingly agent-driven, improving customer engagement and operational agility.
Not wanting to be left behind, the education and EdTech sectors are also adopting Agentic AI tutors to deliver personalised learning experiences and customise content for each student. The technology also allows educators to concentrate on creating new academic content rather than traditional learning methods.
Smart governance initiatives by government & public services are another key area where agentic AI is used for services such as traffic management, policy simulations to enhance responsiveness and inclusivity.
The Impact of agentic AI
The impact of agentic AI is profound.
Here are some examples:
ย Efficiency Gains: Enterprises report significant cost savings and productivity boosts, with high performers using agentic AI to drive growth and innovation.
Workforce Transformation: Human-AI collaborations are developing, with AI agents functioning as independent team members, enhancing productivity and creativity instead of merely substituting human roles.
Decision-Making: Agentic AI enhances strategic decisions by analysing vast datasets in real time, reducing bias and improving accuracy.
National Sovereignty & Innovation: Countries like India are adopting sovereign AI frameworks, ensuring inclusivity and control while scaling agentic systems across industries.
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Article by Imtiaz Ahmed Shariff
