The latest articles on DEV Community by AI Labs (@ai_labs_a474d6ffd5fd06872). https://dev.to/ai_labs_a474d6ffd5fd06872 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4138302%2F5aa2d434-b448-4f65-8a4d-cfce8ec026eb.png https://dev.to/ai_labs_a474d6ffd5fd06872 en AI Labs Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:04:18 +0000 https://dev.to/ai_labs_a474d6ffd5fd06872/what-is-agentic-ai-definition-generative-vs-agentic-1b5 https://dev.to/ai_labs_a474d6ffd5fd06872/what-is-agentic-ai-definition-generative-vs-agentic-1b5 <h2> Short answer </h2> <p><strong>Agentic AI</strong> is AI that pursues a goal with limited supervision. It plans steps, uses tools, checks the result, and changes course. Generative AI produces text/images/code from a prompt. Agentic AI uses a model like that to <em>act</em> (API call, file edit, handoff). <em>Agentic</em> = agency: act on purpose, not only answer.</p> <h2> Key takeaways </h2> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Question</th> <th>Answer</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>What is agentic AI?</td> <td>Goal + limited supervision: plan, tools, check results</td> </tr> <tr> <td>What does agentic mean?</td> <td>Agency — act on purpose, not only reply</td> </tr> <tr> <td>vs generative</td> <td>Generative = content; agentic = next <em>action</em> toward a goal</td> </tr> <tr> <td>AI agent</td> <td>Worker in that loop; platform hosts one or more</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Replace people?</td> <td>Takes steps; person sets goal + approves irreversible actions</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <h2> Definition </h2> <p>IBM: an AI system that can accomplish a specific goal with limited supervision. Working test: decide next action → take it with a tool → inspect what happened → continue. Chat-only stop = generative with a chat box, even if the marketing says “agent.”</p> <p><strong>Three tests:</strong> next <em>step</em> vs next sentence? tool outside chat? stop/revise/ask when risky?</p> <h2> Generative vs agentic </h2> <div class="table-wrapper-paragraph"><table> <thead> <tr> <th></th> <th>Generative</th> <th>Agentic</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>You provide</td> <td>Prompt</td> <td>Goal + constraints</td> </tr> <tr> <td>It produces</td> <td>Content</td> <td>Actions (+ content if needed)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Next step</td> <td>You prompt again</td> <td>It chooses within tools/limits</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Stop</td> <td>Reply done</td> <td>Goal / limit / human handoff</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Failure</td> <td>Wrong paragraph</td> <td>Wrong action in another system</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Usually built <em>on</em> generative models. Anthropic: workflows = fixed tool paths; agents = model directs process/tool use.</p> <h2> How it works </h2> <p>Set goal → plan → act with tools → check hand off irreversibles. Coding agent that runs tests and reads failures = in the loop. Paste-prompt button = not.</p> <p>Platform = hosts loop + tools + context + approvals → <a href="https://xsquads.ai/blog/what-is-agentic-ai-platform" rel="noopener noreferrer">What is an agentic AI platform?</a> · buy/build → <a href="https://xsquads.ai/blog/agentic-ai-solutions" rel="noopener noreferrer">Agentic AI solutions</a> · vendors → <a href="https://xsquads.ai/blog/leading-agentic-ai-platforms" rel="noopener noreferrer">Leading agentic AI platforms</a>.</p> <h2> Where it fits / doesn’t </h2> <p>Fits: code+review, test-fix, research with openable citations, multi-agent delivery with a human gate. Skip: un-checkable outcomes, or every step irreversible (prefer an auditable script).</p> <h2> Sources </h2> <ul> <li>IBM: What is agentic AI?</li> <li>IBM: Agentic AI vs generative AI</li> <li>Anthropic: Building effective agents</li> </ul> <p>No invented metrics. Full version: <a href="https://xsquads.ai/blog/what-is-agentic-ai" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://xsquads.ai/blog/what-is-agentic-ai</a></p> ai agents generativeai softwareengineering