Agentic AI: This New Form of AI Doesn’t Need Prompts
As enterprises continue to digitize operations and seek intelligent automation, the concept of Agentic AI has emerged as a defining force in the next evolution of artificial intelligence. The 2025 ISG Buyers Guide: Agentic and Generative AI serves as a vital resource for understanding the rapidly growing ecosystem of software providers addressing this technological transformation. While generative AI (GenAI) has captured attention for its content generation capabilities, it is Agentic AI that promises to revolutionize how systems autonomously execute complex tasks in dynamic environments. What is Agentic AI? ISG Research defines Agentic AI as artificial intelligence capable of taking autonomous actions based on an understanding of its environment and specific goals. Unlike GenAI, which relies on prompts to generate responses, Agentic AI functions like a digital agent—perceiving, reasoning, and acting independently across software systems. This distinction marks a fundamental shift from passive AI interaction to proactive, goal-driven behavior, making Agentic AI indispensable for process automation, workflow management, and intelligent decision support. Agentic AI vs. Generative AI: Complementary, Not Competitive While Generative AI excels at producing content—text, images, code—based on user prompts, its effectiveness is limited by accuracy issues, commonly referred to as hallucinations. Enterprises have attempted to overcome these challenges by fine-tuning large language models (LLMs), incorporating Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and investing in prompt engineering. However, when operational outcomes depend on autonomous decision-making rather than static content generation, Agentic AI becomes the more appropriate model. Agentic systems go beyond language understanding to execute complex, multi-step actions. These systems often leverage Large Action Models (LAMs) or augmented LLMs trained on sequences of decisions and outcomes. As such, AI Agents represents a more advanced capability: a software agent that can function independently to meet enterprise objectives. Market Trends and the Rise of Agentic AI Platforms Driven by the need for intelligent automation and increased ROI, enterprises are increasingly adopting Agentic AI to enhance operational efficiency. According to ISG, a third of enterprises are already investing in AI-driven business process workflow management—an area where Agentic AI plays a leading role. At the same time, the cost of operating expansive GenAI models has prompted organizations to shift towards smaller, task-specific models. This pivot has also influenced the rise of “model gardens,” where a variety of AI models, including agentic architectures, are deployed and managed for specific use cases. LLMOps—extensions of MLOps tailored for LLMs—are further maturing to accommodate the unique demands of deploying Agentic AI, from lifecycle governance to performance monitoring. Evaluating Agentic AI: Methodology and Key Leaders The ISG Buyers Guide introduces a structured, criteria-driven approach for evaluating software providers based on their Agentic AI capabilities. Enterprises are encouraged to assess platforms across five product experience dimensions—capability, adaptability, usability, manageability, and reliability—as well as customer-focused metrics like TCO/ROI and solution validation. Google Cloud, Oracle, and IBM lead the pack in providing comprehensive support for Agentic AI, scoring highly on both technical and customer experience metrics. Their platforms exhibit strong agentic capabilities, supported by robust model orchestration, developer tooling, and integration with enterprise workflows. Other notable players such as Databricks, Microsoft, and AWS have also made significant strides, offering modular toolsets that support the development and deployment of autonomous agents. ISG’s quadrant classification—Exemplary, Innovative, Merit, and Assurance—further contextualizes the maturity and enterprise fit of each provider. Strategic Implications of Agentic AI for Enterprises Deploying Agentic AI is not merely a technological choice but a strategic imperative. Autonomous agents hold the potential to reduce operational overhead, improve decision accuracy, and enable real-time responsiveness in complex business environments. However, effective adoption requires a systematic approach, including: As with any enterprise investment, the fit between a provider’s offerings and organizational needs is paramount. Overly complex systems may introduce implementation risk, while insufficient agentic functionality may limit return on investment. Unlocking Agentic AI’s Potential in the Philippines The 2025 ISG Buyers Guide highlights Agentic AI as a transformative force in enterprise technology—and its implications for the Philippines are particularly significant. As the country continues to position itself as a digital innovation hub in Southeast Asia, the adoption of Agentic AI presents a strategic opportunity to enhance competitiveness across both the public and private sectors. With a thriving business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, a rapidly growing digital economy, and increasing government investment in smart governance, the Philippines is uniquely positioned to benefit from the autonomous capabilities of AI Agents. From automating repetitive workflows in contact centers to enabling intelligent public service delivery and accelerating digital transformation in SMEs, Agentic AI can drive operational efficiency, reduce human error, and expand access to services across geographically distributed regions. Among the global leaders in this field, IBM’s watsonx platform has been recognized in the ISG Buyers Guide as a top performer in both product and customer experience. With robust capabilities in natural language processing, model governance, and enterprise-ready AI deployment, watsonx offers a comprehensive toolset for building, training, and deploying agentic systems tailored to mission-critical use cases. Its emphasis on transparency, accuracy, and responsible AI aligns with the needs of organizations seeking both innovation and compliance. Contact EACOMM about Agentic AI Today To harness the full potential of IBM watsonx and accelerate Agentic AI adoption in the Philippines, organizations are encouraged to partner with EACOMM Corporation—a trusted leader in local digital transformation. As an IBM business partner with deep expertise in AI integration and enterprise systems development, EACOMM Corporation is uniquely equipped to guide businesses and government institutions in deploying watsonx to meet their strategic objectives. For consultation, implementation, and training services related to IBM watsonx and Agentic AI solutions in the Philippines, Contact EACOMM Corporation Today and take the first step toward building an autonomous, intelligent, and future-ready enterprise.