Paper Type
Complete
Paper Number
PACIS2025-1211
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are evolving beyond passive tools into autonomous agents capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting with minimal human intervention. Despite their growing presence, a structured framework is lacking to classify and compare these systems. This paper develops a typology of agentic AI systems, introducing eight dimensions that define their cognitive and environmental agency in an ordinal structure. Using a multi-phase methodological approach, we construct and refine this typology, which is then evaluated through a human-AI hybrid approach and further distilled into constructed types. The framework enables researchers and practitioners to analyze varying levels of agency in AI systems. By offering a structured perspective on the progression of AI capabilities, the typology provides a foundation for assessing current systems and anticipating future developments in agentic AI.
Recommended Citation
Wissuchek, Christopher and Zschech, Patrick, "Exploring Agentic Artificial Intelligence Systems: Towards a Typological Framework" (2025). PACIS 2025 Proceedings. 6.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2025/emerg_tech/emerg_tech/6
Exploring Agentic Artificial Intelligence Systems: Towards a Typological Framework
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are evolving beyond passive tools into autonomous agents capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting with minimal human intervention. Despite their growing presence, a structured framework is lacking to classify and compare these systems. This paper develops a typology of agentic AI systems, introducing eight dimensions that define their cognitive and environmental agency in an ordinal structure. Using a multi-phase methodological approach, we construct and refine this typology, which is then evaluated through a human-AI hybrid approach and further distilled into constructed types. The framework enables researchers and practitioners to analyze varying levels of agency in AI systems. By offering a structured perspective on the progression of AI capabilities, the typology provides a foundation for assessing current systems and anticipating future developments in agentic AI.
Comments
Technologies