---
id: "quote-agentic-ai-definition"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["¶2"]
tags: ["definition", "llm-evolution"]
related: ["concept-agentic-ai"]
speakers: ["Blair Levin", "Larry Downes"]
sources: ["governance"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-governance"
originDay: 7
articleStem: "hbr-cl-88-can-ai-agents-be-trusted"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/05/can-ai-agents-be-trusted"
sourceTitle: "Can AI Agents Be Trusted?"
---
# Definition of Agentic AI

> "AI agents are a level of programming on top of large language models (LLMs) that allow them to work towards specific goals. This extra layer of software can collect data, make decisions, take action, and adapt its behavior based on results."

— [[entity-blair-levin]] and [[entity-larry-downes]]

This is the article's working definition of [[concept-agentic-ai-d7]], establishing the shift from passive text generation to autonomous action that founds the entire trust argument.