The role of agentic AI in shaping a smart future: A systematic review

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly Agentic AI, is increasingly critical for addressing the demand for speed, efficiency, and customer focus in modern organizations. However, the rapid evolution of Agentic AI, including Generative AI (GenAI) agents, has outpaced a cohesive understanding of its applications, challenges, and strategic implications. This narrative review explores the role of Agentic AI in shaping an intelligent future, focusing on its key attributes—autonomy, reactivity, proactivity, and learning ability—and its potential to transform organizational performance. We identify a research gap in synthesizing the diverse capabilities of Agentic AI (e.g., multimodal processing, hierarchical architectures, and machine learning outsourcing) and providing actionable strategies for adoption. The paper examines how Agentic AI enables autonomous decision-making, automates processes, and enhances efficiency through tools like LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, and AutoGPT. It highlights the transition from assisted ("Copilot") to autonomous ("Autopilot") models and the importance of hierarchical agent structures for system coordination. Key contributions include a framework for organizations to formulate GenAI strategies, addressing business needs, tool selection, human resource training, and risk management. Findings reveal that Agentic AI significantly improves productivity, reduces costs, and drives innovation, though challenges such as privacy, security, and ethical concerns remain. Future research should focus on industry-specific case studies to deepen understanding, explore the ethical and social impacts (e.g., privacy, data security, labor market effects), and investigate the integration of Agentic AI with emerging technologies like quantum computing. This review provides a foundation for researchers and practitioners to leverage Agentic AI effectively while addressing its limitations and opportunities.