The AI that's making decisions without you
How agentic AI is already changing the world
The AI that doesn’t wait for you
We're all familiar with AI that follows our commands, like when you ask Siri to set a reminder or have ChatGPT answer a burning question. But what if your digital assistant took things a step further, booking your flights, rescheduling meetings, and ordering your groceries before you even thought to ask? Agentic AI, technology that anticipates your needs and acts independently, is on its way. (And, for some of us, it’s already here.)
How this AI is different
Traditional AI assistants are like helpful interns waiting for instructions. Agentic AI is more like that super-efficient friend who's always three steps ahead:
It’s proactive, not passive. It constantly scans your digital life to initiate tasks without being prompted
It adapts in real-time. It reschedules a work meeting when your flight gets delayed
It tackles complex, multi-step processes. It manages entire projects from start to finish
It problem-solves with flexibility. It finds creative solutions that make you wonder if it’s almost human
Big Tech’s billion-dollar bet
Tech giants have gone beyond experimenting with this technology. They're investing billions to dominate the space. Last week, Amazon Web Services launched an agentic AI division that CEO Matt Garman called a "multibillion-dollar business opportunity." They claim they've already used AI internally to save 4,500 developer years updating Java applications.
Microsoft is using AI to automatically scan and fix software vulnerabilities, while Google's Gemini 2.0 is developing tools like Project Astra to handle real-world tasks with minimal human input. Meanwhile, Salesforce has ambitious plans to deploy a billion AI agents by the end of the year.
The momentum is undeniable. Deloitte predicts 25% of companies using generative AI will launch agentic AI pilots in 2025, jumping to 50% by 2027. And 93% of IT leaders plan to introduce autonomous AI agents within the next two years.
In Canada, companies like Toronto-based Cohere are making moves in the space, but widespread adoption will depend on regulation and industry readiness.
How agentic AI could transform your life
Imagine a world where:
Your AI notices a meeting in Vancouver on your calendar and asks, "Should I book your usual morning flight and hotel?"
Home management happens on autopilot — adjusting your thermostat based on habits and ordering groceries before you run out.
Health tracking becomes proactive, reminding you to take medication, flagging unusual patterns, and scheduling doctor's appointments.
Work becomes streamlined beyond email sorting, with AI summarizing meetings, drafting reports, and handling administrative tasks without prompting.
The privacy and autonomy trade-off: balancing control and automation
As exciting as this technology sounds, it comes with significant considerations:
The more decisions AI makes for you, the more it influences your choices in subtle ways.
Without proper oversight, AI could prioritize corporate profits over your best interests.
Algorithmic bias remains a serious concern, as we've already seen in AI-driven hiring tools, chatbots giving dangerous medical advice, and financial AI triggering trading crashes.
As AI takes over more responsibilities, the lines between efficiency, influence, and outright manipulation get blurrier.
Taking control of your AI future
AI is already shaping your daily routines more than you might realize, whether it’s the ads you see, your GPS suggesting an optimal route, or your thermostat automatically changing the temperature of your home. Here's how to make sure it works for you (not instead of you):
Know what you're working with
Use AI tools with clearly defined purposes rather than all-in-one solutions
Review the terms and conditions before integrating new AI into your life
Many organizations provide AI system cards or model cards outlining capabilities and limitations in plain language. Reading these can help you to use AI tools appropriately.
Choose services that show their work
Opt for platforms that explain how their AI makes decisions
Support companies with published AI ethics policies
Use tools that disclose what data trained their models
Keep your decision-making power
Choose "human-in-the-loop" AI that provides recommendations but lets you decide
Configure AI to ask permission before making major moves
Maintain the ability to override AI decisions when necessary
Ask the hard questions
Before adopting any AI tool, consider:
Who has access to your data?
Can AI actions be undone if they're wrong?
What ethical safeguards are in place?
How does the system prevent bias?
What security protections exist?
Taking control today
Audit your current AI usage and evaluate whether it aligns with your values
Review and adjust privacy settings on all your AI services
Decide what tasks you're comfortable automating versus what needs your oversight
Follow reliable sources on AI ethics (like Human+AI) to stay informed
Adopt new AI gradually, starting with limited functionality
As AI becomes increasingly autonomous, actively shaping its role in your life will be essential to maintaining control in an increasingly automated world. The future of AI is coming fast — make sure you're in the driver's seat.
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Biweekly disruptions
‘Body in a box’: World’s first computer powered by human brain cells (The Independent) An Australian startup unveiled the world’s first commercial biological computer powered by living human brain cells. The system, which integrates lab-grown neurons with silicon chips, learns and adapts faster than traditional AI while using significantly less energy. Set to launch in June for $35,000, the CL1 raises both excitement for AI advancements and ethical concerns about sentience in computing.
China: Interactive humanoid robots take over police patrol duties in streets (Interesting Engineering) Because the world wasn’t dystopian enough, China has officially put humanoid robots on police patrol duty. Meet the PM01, a high-tech, high-visibility robo-cop that struts through Shenzhen’s streets, shaking hands with pedestrians and responding to voice commands.