The tech industry is currently fixated on a single word: “agentic.” It’s everywhere – in job interviews, online debates, and the rhetoric of ambitious tech workers. But the sudden prominence of this term isn’t just about buzzwords; it reflects a deeper cultural shift and, crucially, the emerging power of artificial intelligence.
The Meaning of Agency: From Philosophy to Tech
“Agentic” stems from “agency” – the capacity to act independently and influence outcomes. While the concept has roots in centuries-old philosophical discussions about free will and power, its modern iteration is heavily influenced by psychology. Today, agency refers to feeling in control of one’s life, steering one’s fate instead of being a passive observer.
This idea has trickled into mainstream thought through academic circles, particularly feminist criticism, where it’s framed as resistance against deterministic forces. But Silicon Valley has seized on the term with a distinct twist.
The Tech World’s Obsession with Assertiveness
In tech, “agentic” doesn’t just mean independent action; it implies aggressive self-reliance and a disregard for conventional boundaries. Job candidates are evaluated on whether they’re “agentic” (good) or “mimetic” (bad). Elon Musk is debated as the “most agentic person alive.” Even minor setbacks, like a cold, are lamented for their ability to halt “agentic” productivity.
This elevation of assertive individualism isn’t accidental. It aligns with the industry’s ethos of disruptive innovation and the myth of the lone genius who defies norms to reshape the world.
AI and the Future of Agency
The timing is no coincidence. The tech world is rapidly developing AI “agents” – models designed to act autonomously, making decisions, purchases, and plans without human intervention. The goal is to create a digital ecosystem where AI surpasses human agency in sheer volume: as one Coinbase executive predicts, soon “there are going to be more A.I. agents than humans making transactions.”
This raises a critical question: as we imbue machines with agency, what does it mean for our own? The obsession with personal agency in Silicon Valley now runs parallel to the looming reality of computers demonstrating something similar, potentially eclipsing human control.
The Traditional Meaning of Agency
The term “agent” has a different, more familiar meaning for most Americans: a representative who acts on your behalf. Whether it’s a talent agent negotiating contracts or a travel agent booking flights, the agent serves as an intermediary. This everyday usage is fading in the tech world’s vision of “agency,” where the ideal is to be the agent, not hire one.
The rapid infusion of AI into our daily lives forces us to reconsider what agency means when machines begin to exert it at scale. The industry’s current obsession with self-reliance is happening as the very definition of control shifts from human hands to algorithmic processes.
