Understanding a Critical AI Transformation Term
As organizations embrace AI transformation, it's crucial to understand the distinction between two fundamental approaches: automations and agentic systems. This isn't just technical jargon—it represents a fundamental shift in how we think about and implement AI in enterprise environments.
At Delivery Pilot, we currently leverage automations to deliver value efficiently and reliably. Understanding where we are today and where the industry is heading helps our customers make informed decisions about their AI transformation journey.
Let's explore both concepts and understand why this distinction matters for your enterprise.
What we use today: Predictable, reliable, and proven
Automations are AI-powered systems that follow predefined rules and workflows to execute tasks. They are deterministic, meaning they perform the same way every time given the same inputs. Think of them as highly sophisticated "if-this-then-that" systems enhanced with AI capabilities.
We use automations because they provide the reliability, predictability, and control that enterprises require. Our automation-based approach delivers consistent results while building trust in AI systems.
Automations follow specific, predetermined paths. Every decision point is mapped out in advance, ensuring consistent and predictable behavior across all executions.
Each automation is designed for a specific task or set of tasks. They excel at doing one thing very well, repeatedly and reliably, without deviation.
Organizations maintain full control over what automations do and how they do it. There are no surprises—the system behaves exactly as programmed.
Same input, same output, every time. This predictability is crucial for enterprise environments where consistency and compliance matter.
Because behavior is predefined, risks are well-understood and can be mitigated in advance. Perfect for regulated industries and mission-critical operations.
Every action can be traced back to a specific rule or workflow step. This makes compliance, debugging, and optimization straightforward.
Automations are the proven foundation of AI transformation—delivering immediate value while building organizational confidence in AI systems.
The emerging frontier: Adaptive, goal-oriented, and self-directed
Agentic systems represent the next evolution in AI. Unlike automations, these systems can make independent decisions, adapt to new situations, and pursue goals with minimal human intervention. They exhibit agency—the ability to act autonomously in pursuit of objectives.
Instead of following fixed paths, agentic systems work toward defined goals. They can figure out the best path forward, adapting their approach based on context and outcomes.
These systems evaluate situations in real-time and make decisions that weren't explicitly programmed. They reason about the best course of action given current circumstances.
Agentic systems learn from experience and improve over time. They adapt to new patterns, user preferences, and changing environments without manual reprogramming.
They can understand nuance, context, and implied requirements. They don't just follow rules—they comprehend the underlying intent and adapt accordingly.
Multiple agentic systems can work together, coordinating their actions to achieve complex objectives that require diverse capabilities and perspectives.
Rather than waiting for explicit instructions, agentic systems can identify opportunities, anticipate needs, and take initiative to achieve their objectives.
Agentic systems represent the future: AI that doesn't just automate tasks but actively collaborates with humans to solve complex, evolving challenges.
Understanding the difference between automations and agentic systems is critical for successful AI transformation. Each approach has its place, and choosing the right one depends on your organization's maturity, risk tolerance, and specific use cases. Starting with automations builds trust and delivers quick wins, while agentic systems represent the long-term vision for truly intelligent enterprise AI.
At Delivery Pilot, we are transparent about our current approach: we use automations. This isn't a limitation—it's a strategic choice that delivers maximum value today while preparing for tomorrow's possibilities.
Our automation-based approach provides the predictable, auditable, and controlled AI implementation that enterprises need to build confidence and demonstrate ROI.
By using automations, we meet the stringent requirements of regulated industries, ensuring compliance, security, and risk management from day one.
Automations deliver tangible results quickly. Your team sees benefits immediately, building momentum and organizational buy-in for further AI adoption.
Our automation framework is designed to evolve. As agentic technologies mature and your organization's AI maturity grows, we can gradually introduce more autonomous capabilities.
Working with automations teaches your team AI principles, builds AI literacy, and prepares your organization for the eventual adoption of agentic systems.
By starting with predictable automations, we help your organization build trust in AI systems—a critical foundation for eventually embracing more autonomous agentic approaches.
Most organizations follow a natural progression in their AI transformation:
Everything done by humans. Time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to scale.
Simple rule-based systems automate repetitive tasks. Significant efficiency gains with minimal risk. ← Delivery Pilot focuses here
AI-enhanced automations that can handle more complex, varied scenarios while remaining predictable and controlled.
Combining automations with limited agentic capabilities—autonomous decision-making within well-defined boundaries.
Highly autonomous AI agents working collaboratively to solve complex, open-ended problems with minimal human intervention.
Most enterprises today get the best results by starting in Phase 2 (Basic Automations) and gradually moving toward Phase 3 (Intelligent Automations). Jumping directly to agentic systems without building this foundation often leads to trust issues, compliance problems, and failed AI initiatives.
Begin with proven automations that deliver immediate value. Build the foundation for tomorrow's agentic future.