Former Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt foresees an impending "agentic revolution" in artificial intelligence, where interconnected AI agents will autonomously handle complex business and government operations. Schmidt, a prominent figure in technology, stated this vision, emphasizing the profound shift AI is poised to bring to global processes. This development marks a significant evolution beyond current AI capabilities, moving towards systems with greater autonomy and problem-solving capacity.
The "agentic revolution" refers to the emergence of AI systems capable of autonomous action, planning, and executing multi-step tasks. These agents are designed to use advanced AI models to solve problems, gaining memory and demonstrating sophisticated reasoning. Schmidt highlighted that this next phase involves AI moving beyond language understanding to encompass planning, strategy, and direct action.
Schmidt has consistently argued that the true impact of AI remains "wildly underhyped," believing it will be more transformative than the information technology revolution and "much bigger than the horrific impact we've had from social media." He predicts that within the next one to two years, significant advancements in large context windows, AI agents, and text-to-action capabilities will enable computers to manage entire business processes.
However, Schmidt also acknowledges the critical need for robust "guardrails" and ethical frameworks to manage this powerful technology. Concerns about the dual-use nature of AI and potential risks, such as recursive self-improvement or agents prioritizing efficiency over ethical considerations, necessitate careful oversight. Schmidt advocates for establishing safeguards rather than halting agentic AI development, stressing the importance of ensuring these autonomous systems operate within societal values.
The former tech executive urges rapid adaptation, advising innovators to "do it now and move very, very fast" to embrace the coming changes. This agentic shift is expected to reshape industries by automating tasks from software development to supply chain management, fundamentally altering how organizations operate and interact. The implications extend across economic and societal structures, signaling a new epoch driven by intelligent automation.