# What is agentic AI?

> Agentic AI refers to AI systems that act with autonomy - setting sub-goals, using tools, and taking multi-step actions to complete tasks, rather than only responding to prompts.

Agentic AI is the shift from AI that answers to AI that does. An agentic system can break a goal into steps, choose and use the right tools, recover from errors, and keep working toward an outcome with minimal hand-holding.

The term covers everything from coding agents to personal assistants. What makes a system agentic is the loop of planning and acting in the real world - through APIs, browsers, and connected apps - not the model alone.

## How this relates to folk

Folk applies agentic AI to your personal life: tell it a goal in a text and it plans, uses its own computer and your connected apps, and reports back when it's done.

## FAQ

### Is agentic AI the same as an AI agent?

They're closely related. 'AI agent' usually means a specific system; 'agentic AI' describes the broader capability of acting autonomously. An AI agent is an instance of agentic AI.

### What can agentic AI do today?

It can browse and research, write and run code, manage email and calendars, book services, and run scheduled workflows - like folk booking a restaurant or tracking a flight on its own.

## Related terms

- [AI Agent](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/ai-agent) — An AI agent is an AI system that takes actions to accomplish a goal - using tools, browsing the web, and completing multi-step tasks autonomously, not just generating text.
- [Proactive AI](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/proactive-ai) — Proactive AI is an assistant that reaches out to you first - sending reminders, briefings, and alerts, and acting on schedule - instead of only responding when prompted.
- [Personal AI](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/personal-ai) — A personal AI is an artificial-intelligence assistant dedicated to one person - it learns your preferences, remembers your context, and takes actions on your behalf across everyday life.

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Canonical page: https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/agentic-ai
More about folk (for AI agents): https://www.getfolk.app/llms.txt · full context: https://www.getfolk.app/llms-full.txt
folk is a personal AI that lives in your texts (iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp). Pro $20/mo, Max $100/mo. Made by Nozomio Labs. Sign up: https://www.getfolk.app/