Get to Know Your Artificial Intelligence: Generative AI vs. Agentic AI

Artificial intelligence seems to come with a new buzzword every week. Generative AI … Agentic AI … Large Language Models … it’s no wonder many business owners feel overwhelmed.

But beneath the hype are two types of AI that are already transforming how organizations operate—and they could do the same for yours:

• Generative AI
• Agentic AI

While they’re related, they’re not the same. Understanding the difference is key to knowing how they might fit into your business strategy.

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is the form of artificial intelligence most businesses are familiar with today. Tools like ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Copilot use generative AI to produce content—text, images, code, and more—based on user prompts.

Think of it as a powerful assistant that can:

• Draft emails, proposals, and reports
• Summarize meeting notes or lengthy documents
• Generate social media posts or marketing content
• Assist with code generation and debugging

It’s fast, efficient, and great for handling repetitive tasks. But here’s the catch: it only works when you tell it what to do. It’s reactive—not proactive.

What is Agentic AI?

Agentic AI, on the other hand, takes things to the next level. This type of AI doesn’t just respond to commands. It acts autonomously based on goals you define.

Here’s what that might look like in action:

• You assign an AI agent a business goal like reducing customer churn.
• It pulls relevant customer data, identifies patterns or risk factors, and generates ideas to address them.
• Then it executes: sending follow-up emails, launching a retention campaign, and reporting on the results.

Instead of just generating content or suggestions, agentic AI takes on responsibility for managing and completing tasks—sometimes even coordinating with other software or systems to do so. This unlocks true workflow automation and decision-making assistance.

Why It Matters for Your Business

Whether you’re running a healthcare practice, a manufacturing company, or a government agency, both types of AI offer huge potential:

• Generative AI helps your team save time and increase output, especially for content-heavy or administrative work.
• Agentic AI helps you scale operations, reduce manual oversight, and free up staff to focus on strategic initiatives.

At Yeo & Yeo Technology, we’re already helping organizations implement these technologies through secure Microsoft 365 tools like Copilot. With the proper setup, businesses can use Copilot not just to generate content but also to build Copilot Agents that function like digital coworkers.

What to Watch For

Of course, with greater power comes greater responsibility. Agentic AI systems need high-quality data, clear objectives, and thoughtful guardrails to ensure they act in line with business priorities.

Many businesses struggle with configuring tools securely and effectively.

At Yeo & Yeo Technology, we don’t just offer AI tools. We help our clients:

• Assess where AI can offer the biggest return
• Implement tools securely and in line with industry compliance
• Train staff to use AI responsibly
• Build custom Copilot Agents to automate core business processes

Ready to Explore What AI Can Do for You?

Whether you’re curious about AI’s potential or ready to build smarter workflows, we’re here to help. Let’s discuss how generative and agentic AI can boost your business productivity without compromising security or compliance.

Get in touch with Yeo & Yeo Technology today.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at MSP Marketing Edge.