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Not just faster, but smarter and with reasoning: How agentic AI can help firms achieve more
With companies like UiPath introducing highly adaptable AI agents, resource-strapped teams can take on challenges once thought out of reach
Lean teams can work at quicker speeds and deliver bigger results with artificial intelligence (AI) agents handling more complex, time-consuming tasks.
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From spreadsheets to assembly lines, automation has long helped firms complete basic tasks faster and with fewer errors.
Take Cathay Pacific, for example. The airline implemented bots to automate its flight re‑seat notification process, making it around 20 times faster than manual email alerts.
Instead of simply sending bulk messages, the system can analyse passenger details, apply seating rules and decide the best way to notify affected travellers.
Back‑office efficiency has also improved. Preparing tax declarations, which once took three weeks of manual checks, now takes just one or two days as the system reviews data, applies regulatory logic and flags exceptions for staff to verify.
But now, the question is how companies can achieve more than just efficiency. How can they use automation to solve bigger, more meaningful problems?
According to experts, the answer lies in new approaches like agentic automation.
Unlike chatbots that respond with a ‘best guess’, agentic automation uses AI agents that can act on behalf of humans, taking on tasks that require not only repetition but also reasoning.
They are able to explain the steps behind their decisions, making them trusted partners for daily high‑volume work.
By handling routine and data-heavy tasks, AI agents free up human teams to focus on strategic, creative and high-impact work. This not only improves productivity but also enhances job satisfaction as employees engage in more meaningful contributions to business goals.
In aviation and beyond, AI-powered automation can cut turnaround times, reduce errors and improve service quality for customers.
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Says Mr DebDeep Sengupta, area vice-president for South Asia at automation platform provider UiPath
According to research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), agentic AI is set to play a major role in South-east Asia.
Customer support automation alone could account for 58 per cent of deployments, IDC predicted in a report titled Agentic Automation: Unlocking Seamless Orchestration for the Modern Enterprise
The report also revealed that close to 44 per cent of organisations in the region plan to use the technology within the next year, while nearly eight in 10 are already exploring potential use cases.
Adds Mr Sengupta: “In South-east Asia, we’re already working with enterprises across industries to deploy this vision of agentic automation end‑to‑end.”
Benefits of agentic automation
In this new way of work, agents and differently skilled robots work together with humans in an orchestrated process, each doing the job that it does most effectively and efficiently.
For example, robots can gather data across systems, allowing AI agents to analyse and act on it. In turn, agentic systems can use AI-powered automation to handle tasks like document processing, communication analysis and customer support, boosting both speed and accuracy across workflows.
Working with UiPath, Deloitte India has already rolled out its Agentic Global Business Services to bring smarter automation to areas like finance, human resource, IT and supply chain.
Most importantly, they work hand‑in‑hand with people – helping staff make better decisions, stay compliant and focus on higher‑value work. The goal: deliver faster returns on investment, ensure stronger governance, and give employees a smoother, more empowering digital experience.
In healthcare, AI agents can help reduce costly errors by verifying records and ensuring processes follow strict standards.
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AI can be deployed in various sectors, playing different roles in the future. In banking, AI agents could analyse a customer’s requirements and recommend investment products tailored to them, or assist in analysing and processing claims by drawing on both rules and past cases.
In customer service, one AI agent answering a call could tap other agents to retrieve customer records, check inventory and arrange logistics – working together like a team of colleagues.
In healthcare, agents can handle tasks like rescheduling appointments and verifying records, while reducing errors.
This means small teams can take advantage of AI agents – properly trained in their organisation’s processes – to scale up and do a lot more, says Mr Tomur Ho, director of engineering for South Asia at UiPath.
By having AI collaborate with humans, people can focus on more creative work.
Plugging in an AI agent does not mean that you do not need humans anymore, Mr Ho explains. People are still needed to orchestrate and organise these agents to make sure they work well.
“You do need interaction and human feedback in order for that optimisation to occur over time,” he stresses. “And you need humans to collaborate with fellow humans to also make that work.”
Building the foundation
For agentic automation to work, organisations have to get their foundation right, says Mr Sengupta. That means having a platform where agents can be developed and scaled over time, supported by strong governance, security and transparency.
The recently launched UiPath Platform for agentic automation
From finance to manufacturing, automation platforms like UiPath bring people, bots and AI agents together to run complex operations more smoothly and at scale.
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One key feature is the platform’s controlled agency model. This means AI agents work within clear guardrails, so businesses can enjoy the benefits of automation while staying compliant and avoiding unpredictable outcomes.
Another important feature, called UiPath Maestro
“With the launch of our next-generation UiPath Platform, we’re laying the groundwork for agentic automation – one that brings together AI agents, robots and people to help enterprises operate with greater productivity and scale,” he explains.
“The result is faster decision-making, smarter operations, and more time for employees to focus on high-impact, meaningful work,” he adds.
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