Artificial Intelligence has already become a core enabler of digital transformation across many industries today. But the next frontier in AI is something even more powerful—agentic AI. These are intelligent systems capable not just of processing data, but of making decisions and taking action autonomously in real-world environments.
Our Director, Siyong Liu, recently joined Ryan Huang on MoneyFM 89.3’s Mind Your Business segment, part of the Breakfast Show with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar, and Audrey Siek, to explore this exciting topic: “How to Fit Agentic AI in the Workplace.”
You can listen to the full interview here:
🎧 https://omny.fm/shows/moneyfm-morning-show/mind-your-business-how-to-fit-agentic-ai-in-the-wo
Below, we’ve distilled the highlights and key takeaways from the conversation.
🔍 What Is Agentic AI?
While many are now familiar with generative AI—which produces content like text, images, and video—agentic AI goes a step further. As Siyong explained:
“Agentic AI is not only able to process information and make decisions, but it can also perform real-world actions. In a business context, that means things like extracting data from an invoice and processing it within an ERP system—essentially doing what a human worker might do.”
This makes AI agents a game-changer, especially for businesses grappling with manpower constraints and rising operational demands.
💡 Where Does Agentic AI Add the Most Value?
Agentic AI is versatile, but two areas stand out today:
1. Customer Service
Unlike traditional chatbots, AI-powered customer service agents don’t require pre-scripted responses. They can answer customer inquiries on the fly, enabling businesses to:
- Respond to customers faster
- Reduce dependence on large support teams
- Improve user experience without sacrificing efficiency
2. Marketing
Agentic AI can also support content creation—drafting social media posts, email campaigns, or promotional copy with speed and scale.
“These AI agents help you go beyond repetitive tasks so your team can focus on higher-value work,” said Siyong.
⚠️ What Are the Risks?
As with any emerging technology, agentic AI isn't without challenges. Chief among them:
- Explainability: Understanding why the AI agent made a certain decision is critical.
- Governance: Safeguards must be in place to monitor and correct mistakes.
- Data Readiness: Organizations often struggle with unstructured or siloed data, which hinders AI training and deployment.
Siyong emphasized the importance of observability in AI systems to ensure accountability and course correction when needed.
🚀 How Can Businesses Get Started?
Adopting agentic AI isn't about replacing jobs—it’s about augmenting your team’s capabilities. Here’s a practical approach:
✅ Top-Down + Bottom-Up Strategy
- Top-down: Leadership must support AI adoption and foster a culture of innovation.
- Bottom-up: Employees know the real operational pain points—empower them to identify areas where Agentic Process Automation can help to streamline workflows.
Start small by identifying a clear, solvable problem, then use agentic AI to prototype a solution.
💸 Is It Accessible for SMEs?
Absolutely.
“Unlike traditional enterprise software that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, agentic AI is far more accessible,” Siyong shared.
With the democratization of AI tools—many of which are low-cost or even free—SMEs can start experimenting with minimal investment. Online resources and plug-and-play platforms make entry into the AI space easier than ever before.
🔄 From RPA to Agentic AI: A Founder’s Journey
Siyong also shared his entrepreneurial journey, which began in 2016 with robotic process automation (RPA). Back then, automation focused on repetitive, rule-based tasks. Today, with the rise of agentic AI, these AI agents can now think, plan, and act.
“Agentic AI is like RPA 2.0. It gives us the ability to handle complex, variable business scenarios—not just the routine stuff.”
His approach to convincing clients? Show, don’t tell. By building small proofs of concept using the client’s own data and processes, Siyong helped businesses see the real-world impact of AI—firsthand.
Final Thoughts
Agentic AI represents a new paradigm in workplace automation. It’s more than a productivity tool—it’s a strategic asset that empowers businesses to do more with less, adapt faster, and stay competitive.
As Siyong aptly put it:
“AI is a democratized technology. The question is no longer whether to adopt it—but how fast you can integrate it into your business.”
🎧 Listen to the full interview on MoneyFM 89.3:
https://omny.fm/shows/moneyfm-morning-show/mind-your-business-how-to-fit-agentic-ai-in-the-wo
How to Fit Agentic AI in the Workplace: Key Insights from Our MoneyFM 89.3 Interview