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The world of artificial intelligence is evolving at breakneck speed, and nowhere is this more evident than in the emergence of agentic AI - autonomous systems capable of taking independent action on our behalf. From booking travel arrangements to conducting complex research that would take teams of humans weeks to complete, these technologies promise to transform how we work and live.

Dave Nicholson, CTO advisor and industry analyst at Futurum Research, brings decades of technology leadership experience to unpack this trend. Having served in executive roles at EMC, Oracle, and Dell before joining the analyst world, Dave offers a uniquely practical perspective on AI's real-world implementation. His current work teaching in the CTO accreditation and AI programs at Wharton puts him at the intersection of academic research and business application.

The conversation traces AI's evolution from simple prompt-response mechanisms to research-capable systems and now to truly autonomous agents. While the technology's potential is enormous, Dave cautions that most current implementations labeled "agentic" are actually sophisticated versions of robotic process automation rather than truly autonomous systems. The real winners in this space will be organizations with well-organized data and the ability to extract business value from rapidly evolving technology.

For business leaders looking to capitalize on agentic AI, Dave recommends a two-pronged approach: personal experimentation with AI tools to understand their capabilities, combined with systematic efforts to prepare organizational data for AI applications. The executives who dismiss AI as something they "don't need to understand" risk falling behind much like those who once claimed they would never need email.

Perhaps most profound are the questions agentic AI raises about work and society. While these technologies promise unprecedented productivity gains, we have yet to determine how those benefits will be distributed. Will employees who become dramatically more productive through AI assistance receive better compensation, more time off, or simply face higher expectations? As Dave puts it, "We have a tiger by the tail," and anyone claiming to have all the answers about how this will unfold is being disingenuous.

Ready to explore how agentic AI might transform your organization? Start experimenting with these tools today while preparing your data infrastructure for the autonomous future that's rapidly approaching.

Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.

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