**Global tech sector:** SAS is pioneering agentic AI development that blends autonomous decision-making with ethical governance, enhancing efficiency and compliance through its Viya platform’s hybrid analytics and human oversight, aiming to revolutionise AI adoption while safeguarding trust and accountability.
Embracing the Age of Agentic AI: A New Era for Responsible Technology
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to dominate discussions in technological advancement, the emergence of agentic AI represents a paradigm shift in how decision-making processes are approached within organisations. Companies like SAS are leading the charge in developing an agentic AI framework, which aspires to strike a harmonious balance between autonomous decision-making and ethical governance. This framework promises to empower businesses to leverage the potential of AI while maintaining a robust ethical backbone.
Agentic AI is characterised by its ability to operate independently within specific parameters, thus significantly enhancing operational efficiency. According to Nick Patience, Vice President and Practice Lead at The Futurum Group, “SAS’ approach to agentic AI strikes the critical balance between autonomous decision-making and ethical governance.” This sentiment echoes a broader industry consensus that, as AI evolves, a commitment to ethical governance is paramount for thriving in the competitive landscape of business.
SAS Viya, the AI platform at the forefront of this initiative, harnesses the capabilities of AI agents by integrating three essential pillars: decisioning, human and AI balance, and governance. The platform employs a hybrid method that merges deterministic analytics with the fluid reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs). This dual approach enables organisations to create precise and reliable outcomes while adhering to strict regulatory standards, particularly crucial in highly regulated industries.
While the autonomous capabilities of AI agents might suggest a shift towards less human oversight, the framework insists on a balanced approach. AI agents can handle routine, data-driven tasks autonomously, yet human oversight remains critical for ethical judgment and strategic direction. This level of collaborative intelligence not only augments the capabilities of human workers but also retains essential human oversight, ensuring ethically sound decisions.
The Harvard Business Review has underscored the necessity for structured governance in AI systems, emphasising that trust and explainability are now critical components for businesses aiming to foster consumer confidence. As illustrated in a recent report, ethical frameworks must be at the forefront of AI deployment to avoid risks that come with autonomous decision-making. The piece highlights that companies need to balance innovative AI strategies with ethical standards to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
Ethical considerations in AI are echoed across various industry analyses. Deloitte’s insights emphasise the importance of maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements while integrating agentic AI solutions. The myriad of ethical challenges in AI implementation calls for tailored governance frameworks that account for industry-specific risks. Maintaining transparency, accountability, and fairness are crucial in building user trust and ensuring responsible AI use.
As organisations venture into an age where AI will play a pivotal role in everyday operations, the principles of ethical AI deployment cannot be overstated. Gartner has noted that AI has the potential to reshape business models, advocating for ethical considerations throughout the adoption process. The report posits that enterprises striving for innovation must also remain vigilant in fostering responsible AI ecosystems.
Meanwhile, future developments at SAS indicate a commitment to continuously improve their agentic AI offerings. The roadmap includes the integration of co-pilot productivity tools within SAS Viya to facilitate faster and smarter workflows, all while remaining aligned with enterprise logic. These innovations aim to infuse utilities that capture the vast capabilities of agentic AI while ensuring users remain in charge of the decision-making landscape.
Marinela Profi, SAS’s Global AI Market Strategy Lead, succinctly underscores this vision: “SAS Viya builds agents that don’t just act – they decide with purpose, guided by analytics, business rules, and adaptability.” Indeed, the aspiration is for agents to evolve from mere “science experiments” into pivotal business differentiators, fostering technological advancement that aligns seamlessly with ethical governance.
In conclusion, the evolution of agentic AI presents a compelling opportunity for businesses to innovate responsibly. By embedding ethical considerations into the core frameworks of AI deployment, organisations can not only enhance efficiency and competitiveness but also build a foundation of trust and accountability that will serve them well into the future.
Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [[1]](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixwFBVV95cUxNM2UyTVNBVzJOZDNzY3dURE5IWGt6WFduWFN5ZXpKd1RpLTQ4RFNMRGNSVWpkWmhtcUdnd2UwTDNfemRteV90Z0NkVjFvdy16S1RQTFJ0bmtQd3BKejdZRzE5MG1vY3BBdUZMY1RUSjl1MERFYmliLTJLTjhIbThqVld6ZWh6bWVyS1VIVmdlN2N5Sk1qaTZGTU1KSWJ4UmUtN1Y1cFBZUS1xaWNyemJieE42dnRRS0U2UXJUc2VnT055a19LNHBJ?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en), [[2]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/06/12/the-future-of-ai-is-agentic/?sh=2f36861f7c14)
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- Paragraph 6 – [[1]](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixwFBVV95cUxNM2UyTVNBVzJOZDNzY3dURE5IWGt6WFduWFN5ZXpKd1RpLTQ4RFNMRGNSVWpkWmhtcUdnd2UwTDNfemRteV90Z0NkVjFvdy16S1RQTFJ0bmtQd3BKejdZRzE5MG1vY3BBdUZMY1RUSjl1MERFYmliLTJLTjhIbThqVld6ZWh6bWVyS1VIVmdlN2N5Sk1qaTZGTU1KSWJ4UmUtN1Y1cFBZUS1xaWNyemJieE42dnRRS0U2UXJUc2VnT055a19LNHBJ?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en), [[4]](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-10-03-gartner-says-three-ways-ai-innovates-business-models)
Source: Noah Wire Services
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