The Non-Human Identity Management Group recently launched a LinkedIn poll to better understand how the community differentiates between AI Agents and Agentic AI. The question was simple, but reflects a deeper conversation happening across the industry:
Are AI Agents and Agentic AI the same thing?
The results were very clear:
- Yes – 14%
- No – 86%
The overwhelming majority selecting “No” shows that most professionals recognize there is an important distinction between AI agents and Agentic AI. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they represent different levels of capability and autonomy.
AI agents are typically designed to perform specific tasks, often with defined boundaries, limited autonomy, and human oversight. In contrast, Agentic AI introduces a higher level of independence, where systems can reason, plan, make decisions, and take actions across multiple steps, often interacting with other systems, APIs, and identities without direct human intervention.
The small but notable 14% “Yes” response highlights that there is still some confusion in the market. This is not surprising, as the terminology is still evolving, and many vendors and platforms use these terms inconsistently. However, from a security and identity perspective, this distinction matters significantly.
This poll highlights a growing maturity in how the community understands AI evolution, but also reinforces the need for clear definitions, frameworks, and security models. As organizations adopt more advanced AI capabilities, distinguishing between simple AI agents and fully agentic systems will be critical for applying the right controls, particularly in the context of Non-Human Identity (NHI) security.
