What makes a true AI agent? CIOs struggle with the definition as hype blurs lines

In most cases, vendors aren’t yet offering truly agentic AI with real autonomy, some critics say, but are instead pitching simpler AI chatbots, assistants, or add-ons to large language models (LLMs) as agentic AI. Many so-called agents are just LLM wrappers or “glorified LLM workflows,” says Zach Bartholomew, VP of product at Perigon, provider of an AI-powered and context-based search tool.

The agent bandwagon

There’s a lot of “agent-washing” in the IT industry right now, says Chris Shayan, head of AI at Backbase, a banking software vendor.

“I’ve sat through dozens of vendor pitches where basic automation was rebranded as autonomous agents,” he says. “Many solutions being marketed as agents are actually just traditional algorithms with better interfaces, and there’s a world of difference that CIOs and CTOs are struggling to navigate.”