"GenAI", "agent" and "agentic" are often used as if they meant the same thing. They do not, and interviewers notice the difference.
Three terms#
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GenAI | Models that generate content: text, images, code, audio. The broad category. |
| Agent | A model taking actions through tools in a loop, where the model decides the next step. |
| Agentic | How much autonomy a system has. A spectrum, not a yes or no. |
GenAI#
GenAI is the broad category of models that generate content. Not everything GenAI is an agent.
Agent#
Agent has a specific meaning: tools, a loop, and the model deciding the next step. Many LLM features are not agents.
| System | Agent? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A single prompt that returns an answer | No | No tools, no loop |
| A RAG pipeline | No | Your code runs fixed steps: retrieve, then generate |
| A tool calling loop where your code decides the steps | No | That is a workflow |
| A model that picks tools in a loop until it decides to stop | Yes | The model decides the next step |
Agentic#
Agentic describes how much autonomy a system has.
- A system that calls one tool and stops is slightly agentic.
- A system that runs 20 tool calls and sets its own sub-goals is highly agentic.
- Most production systems sit somewhere in the middle.
The interview trap#
An interviewer asks, "Tell me about your agentic system." The weak answer is "Yes, it's fully autonomous."
Be precise instead. Cover three things:
- Where on the spectrum the system sits.
- Which decisions the model makes.
- What your code controls.
For example: "The model chooses which of four search tools to call and when it has enough to answer. Our code caps it at 10 steps, checks every tool argument, and asks the user before it sends anything."
Short line#
GenAI is any model that generates content. An agent is a model taking actions through tools in a loop, deciding the next step itself. Agentic is a spectrum of autonomy, so describe a system by where it sits, what the model decides and what your code controls.
Key takeaways#
- GenAI is the broad category. Not everything GenAI is an agent.
- An agent uses tools in a loop and decides its own next step.
- A single prompt, a RAG pipeline and a code-driven tool loop are not agents.
- Agentic is a spectrum of autonomy. Most production systems sit in the middle.
- In interviews, say where the system sits, what the model decides and what your code controls.