# The language of agentic work. Clear definitions, practical examples and the distinctions that matter. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary ## Agent-native Describes a system or service designed with software agents as primary users or participants. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/agent-native Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A booking service exposes availability, required inputs, confirmation rules and usable results so an agent can work with it directly. ### The distinction AI-native describes AI’s role in delivery. Agent-native describes agents’ role in using the service. The booking service itself need not use AI. ### Sources & context - [What is Agent-Native?](https://www.agent-native.com/docs/what-is-agent-native/) — Builder.io, Agent-Native. One implementation of agent-native application design; not a universal definition. Checked 2026-09-07. - [Teaching agents product design at Vercel](https://vercel.com/blog/teaching-agents-product-design-at-vercel) — Vercel, June 2026. An organisational use of the label, showing why its subject must be explicit. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/agent-native) --- ## Agent-ready Describes a system that supports a specified interaction by a software agent. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#agent-ready Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A supplier allows an agent to check stock, while ordering still requires a person. ### The distinction Always state ready for what. Supporting one lookup does not establish end-to-end agent access or an agreed readiness level. ### Sources & context - [What is Agent-Native?](https://www.agent-native.com/docs/what-is-agent-native/) — Builder.io, Agent-Native. One implementation of agent-native application design; not a universal definition. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Agentic Describes AI software that chooses and carries out steps towards a goal rather than following only a predetermined sequence. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A system preparing a repair visit notices missing equipment details and chooses between checking records, asking for a photo or escalating. ### The distinction Agentic describes how work proceeds. It does not mean fully autonomous, reliable by default or authorised to do anything it can technically access. ### Sources & context - [Building effective agents](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-agents) — Erik S. and Barry Zhang, Anthropic, December 2024. The workflow–agent distinction used here; terminology varies across the field. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic) --- ## Agentic commerce Buying and selling in which software agents participate in commercial choices or actions for people or organisations. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic-commerce Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice An agent compares suitable appointment options and requests a booking within the customer’s stated conditions. ### The distinction Commerce includes selection, terms and fulfilment as well as payment. Agentic work inside an organisation need not involve a purchase. ### Sources & context - [Agentic commerce](https://stripe.com/use-cases/agentic-commerce) — Stripe. A commercial implementation illustrating agent involvement in buying and selling; not an AE capability claim. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic-commerce) --- ## Agentic economy Economic activity in which AI agents help people and organisations produce goods, deliver services, coordinate work, and buy and sell. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic-economy Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A manufacturer investigates a delayed component and proposes a revised plan; a teacher uses a system that adapts practice to a learner’s responses. ### The distinction The economy is broader than commerce or financial services. This is an emerging umbrella term, not a measured market total or a claim of autonomous businesses. ### Sources & context - [Building the Open Agentic Economy](https://www.circle.com/blog/building-the-open-agentic-economy) — Circle, August 2026. An authored ecosystem vision; our broader working definition also includes internal production and coordination. Checked 2026-09-07. - [How AI will turn capital into labor](https://a16z.com/ai-turns-capital-to-labor/) — Alex Rampell, a16z, August 2024. An investment thesis about software performing work, not measured market demand. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/agentic-economy) --- ## AI The broad field of systems that infer from information how to produce predictions, content, recommendations or decisions towards objectives. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#ai Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A factory might use AI to flag an unusual equipment reading; a writer might use it to draft an explanation. ### The distinction AI includes more than generative AI or agents. Using AI does not by itself mean a system chooses and carries out a sequence of work. ### Sources & context - [Explanatory memorandum on the definition of an AI system](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/03/explanatory-memorandum-on-the-updated-oecd-definition-of-an-ai-system_3c815e51/623da898-en.pdf) — OECD, 2024. Plain-language interpretation of the institutional definition. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## AI agent An AI system that can select steps towards a goal and carry out actions through available tools. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/ai-agent Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A repair agent finds a booking incomplete, checks earlier visits, and chooses whether to request an equipment photo or ask the coordinator. ### The distinction A model produces outputs; an agent combines that capability with information, tools and control over actions. It remains limited by its permissions. ### Sources & context - [Machine Learning Glossary](https://developers.google.com/machine-learning/glossary) — Google for Developers. Technical terminology, paraphrased for a business reader. Checked 2026-09-07. - [Building effective agents](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-agents) — Erik S. and Barry Zhang, Anthropic, December 2024. The workflow–agent distinction used here; terminology varies across the field. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/ai-agent) --- ## AI assistant An AI application through which a person asks for help with information or work. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#ai-assistant Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A coordinator asks an assistant to draft a message explaining what a technician needs before a visit. ### The distinction Assistant describes the relationship with the user. An assistant may contain agentic features; it is not a fixed level below an agent. ### Sources & context - [Levels of Autonomy for AI Agents](https://knightcolumbia.org/content/levels-of-autonomy-for-ai-agents-1) — Kevin Feng, David McDonald and Amy Zhang, July 2025. A proposed research framework, not an adopted industry standard. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## AI model The learned component of an AI system that maps supplied information to predictions or other outputs. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#ai-model Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A model interprets a customer’s message; the surrounding application retrieves their booking and displays a reply. ### The distinction The model is one component. Connections, permissions and the interface belong to the system around it. ### Sources & context - [Machine Learning Glossary](https://developers.google.com/machine-learning/glossary) — Google for Developers. Technical terminology, paraphrased for a business reader. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## AI-native Describes a product, service or business designed around AI as a central part of how it delivers value. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/ai-native Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A document service organises its intake, extraction, checking and exception handling around AI, with people responsible for difficult cases. ### The distinction AI-native concerns how the work is delivered. Agent-native concerns agents as users or participants. Neither label means fully automated. ### Sources & context - [Rex: AI-native BPO for enterprise order-to-cash](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/rex-inc) — Rex / Y Combinator. Company-described usage of AI-native; the definition here is an editorial synthesis, not a certification. Checked 2026-09-07. - [How AI will turn capital into labor](https://a16z.com/ai-turns-capital-to-labor/) — Alex Rampell, a16z, August 2024. An investment thesis about software performing work, not measured market demand. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/ai-native) --- ## Augmentation Use of AI to support a person’s work while the person remains actively involved. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#augmentation Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A trainer asks for alternative explanations, compares them and edits the one used in a workshop. ### The distinction Augmentation and automation can coexist within the same job. Active involvement is not evidence that the AI is less capable. ### Sources & context - [Economic primitives](https://www.anthropic.com/research/anthropic-economic-index-january-2026-report) — Anthropic, January 2026. Research distinguishes patterns of assistance, automation and autonomy; this is a general explanation, not an Index classification. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Authority Permission to take specified actions on someone’s behalf, within stated limits. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#authority Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A coordinator permits an agent to request information, but reserves appointment changes for a person. ### The distinction Technical access and available funds do not establish permission. Authority can be narrow even when a system is highly capable. ### Sources & context - [Explanatory memorandum on the definition of an AI system](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/03/explanatory-memorandum-on-the-updated-oecd-definition-of-an-ai-system_3c815e51/623da898-en.pdf) — OECD, 2024. Plain-language interpretation of the institutional definition. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Automation Work carried out by a system with reduced human action, using fixed rules, AI or a combination of both. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#automation Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A booking system sends a reminder the day before each appointment without someone composing each message. ### The distinction Automation does not require AI, and a highly automated task may leave the software very little discretion. ### Sources & context - [Economic primitives](https://www.anthropic.com/research/anthropic-economic-index-january-2026-report) — Anthropic, January 2026. Research distinguishes patterns of assistance, automation and autonomy; this is a general explanation, not an Index classification. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Autonomy The degree to which a system can learn or act without human involvement after people delegate work to it. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary/autonomy Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice An agent may independently inspect booking records but stop for permission before changing a customer’s appointment. ### The distinction Capability concerns what it can do; authority concerns what it may do; autonomy concerns the extent of human involvement. ### Sources & context - [Explanatory memorandum on the definition of an AI system](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/03/explanatory-memorandum-on-the-updated-oecd-definition-of-an-ai-system_3c815e51/623da898-en.pdf) — OECD, 2024. Plain-language interpretation of the institutional definition. Checked 2026-09-07. - [Levels of Autonomy for AI Agents](https://knightcolumbia.org/content/levels-of-autonomy-for-ai-agents-1) — Kevin Feng, David McDonald and Amy Zhang, July 2025. A proposed research framework, not an adopted industry standard. Checked 2026-09-07. - [Measuring AI agent autonomy in practice](https://www.anthropic.com/research/measuring-agent-autonomy) — Anthropic, February 2026. Observed behaviour depends on the deployment and human oversight. Checked 2026-09-07. [Read the full explanation](https://aecon.ai/glossary/autonomy) --- ## Delegation Assignment of work to a person or system, together with the decisions they are permitted to make. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#delegation Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice “Prepare the visit from our existing records; ask me before contacting the customer” delegates work with a clear boundary. ### The distinction Delegating work does not transfer all responsibility, grant unlimited access or remove the need to check the result. ### Sources & context - [Explanatory memorandum on the definition of an AI system](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/03/explanatory-memorandum-on-the-updated-oecd-definition-of-an-ai-system_3c815e51/623da898-en.pdf) — OECD, 2024. Plain-language interpretation of the institutional definition. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Generative AI AI that creates synthetic content, such as text, images or audio, using patterns learned from data. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#generative-ai Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A teacher asks for three practice questions based on an approved lesson and reviews them before use. ### The distinction Generating material does not necessarily involve choosing a plan, using tools or acting on someone’s behalf. ### Sources & context - [Generative artificial intelligence](https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/genai) — NIST, SP 800-218A. Paraphrase of the definition cited by NIST. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Service Work performed for another party, such as transport, teaching, equipment maintenance or bookkeeping. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#service Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A technician repairs equipment for a customer; an information provider supplies a requested record. ### The distinction A service need not be digital or agentic; people can deliver it directly, with or without software. ### Sources & context - [Concepts and definitions for measuring business innovation](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oslo-manual-2018_9789264304604-en/full-report/component-9.html) — OECD / Eurostat, Oslo Manual 2018. Economic context for services; the definition here uses ordinary business language. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Task A bounded piece of work contributing to a larger objective. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#task Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice Checking whether a booking has the equipment model number is one task within preparing a repair visit. ### The distinction A task is not a whole job, occupation or industry. Completing it may help without achieving the larger objective. ### Sources & context - [Economic primitives](https://www.anthropic.com/research/anthropic-economic-index-january-2026-report) — Anthropic, January 2026. Research distinguishes patterns of assistance, automation and autonomy; this is a general explanation, not an Index classification. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Tool A function an AI system can use to obtain information or take an action. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#tool Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A calendar connection lets an agent check whether an appointment time is available. ### The distinction A tool need not be paid or external. It supplies an action; the agent decides when to use it within its permissions. ### Sources & context - [Machine Learning Glossary](https://developers.google.com/machine-learning/glossary) — Google for Developers. Technical terminology, paraphrased for a business reader. Checked 2026-09-07. --- ## Workflow A connected arrangement of tasks and decisions through which work proceeds. Source: https://aecon.ai/glossary#workflow Updated: 2026-09-07 ### In practice A repair workflow moves from receiving a booking through collecting details, scheduling a visit and recording what happened. ### The distinction Workflow is broader than fixed automation. When comparing AI architectures, identify whether rules or a model choose the steps. ### Sources & context - [Building effective agents](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-agents) — Erik S. and Barry Zhang, Anthropic, December 2024. The workflow–agent distinction used here; terminology varies across the field. Checked 2026-09-07.