Big Thinks, Small Loops: A Deep Dive into How Agentic AI Works
- Angie Okhupe
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Last Tuesday, I found myself simultaneously googling "can children survive on cereal" while answering work emails and searching for my daughter's missing yellow shirt. I'm not just a busy mom—I'm a professional chaos coordinator.
Like, the kind of busy where there are still unread emails from February, a half-written thank-you note from Christmas, and a dentist appointment I've rescheduled three times. Between motherhood, work, nonprofit board duties, and trying to text my friends back occasionally, things fall through the cracks.
This week alone:
My 4-year-old needed to wear *specifically* sunshine yellow for Easter (not mustard, not gold—a distinction that apparently warranted tears at 7:15 AM)
She also had to bring candy and build an egg for decorating
Her sister had a book fair and piano practice
My team at work needed new insights from my analysis
And somewhere in between, I was also supposed to finalize summer camp plans, prep dinner, and remember where I put my sanity
Yes, I have a supportive partner. No, that doesn't mean my brain isn't doing mental gymnastics 24/7. A recent study found that mothers spend an average of 37 hours per week just on mental labor—essentially an unpaid part-time job of remembering, planning, and coordinating. (Check on your mom friends. Seriously.)
Now imagine I had an extra brain. One that could plan, act, remember, adjust, and not complain when someone spilled juice on the task list.
That's what Agentic AI promises—not just another app sending notifications I'll ignore, but a true digital partner that thinks, plans, and acts like I would (but without the 3 AM panic sweats).
So... How Does This Thing *Actually* Work?
Agentic AI isn't just regular AI with a caffeine boost. It's different. It works in a 5 step loop that mirrors how we operate in real life—especially on weeks like mine. Let me show you what I mean.
Step 1: It Perceives What's Going On
Instead of waiting for a single instruction, Agentic AI starts by taking in the whole picture. If I say, “Help me stay on top of this week,” it doesn’t just say, “Sure! What do you want to do?”
It scans my calendar, unread emails, Slack messages, to-do list apps, that school newsletter I haven’t opened, and maybe even the weather forecast—because someone always has outdoor soccer when it rains. It gathers context like a mom who walks into the living room, sniffs the air, and immediately knows someone spilled juice and lied about it.
Step 2: It Remembers What Matters
Agentic AI doesn’t just glance and forget. It remembers. It knows I already RSVP’d to the class Easter party, that the last book fair had a reading log attached, and that I don’t schedule anything past 8:00 p.m. unless it includes Netflix and snacks.
It keeps track of what’s been done, what still needs to be done, and what can wait. Kind of like the mental Post-its I have stuck all over my brain—but digital, organized, and not affected by exhaustion.
Step 3: It Plans Like a Pro
Once it has the full picture, Agentic AI makes a game plan.
Instead of just saying, “Reminder: buy candy,” it blocks time for me to run to Target, checks which store has the yellow marshmallow Peeps (not pink, remember), and adds “build egg” to Saturday’s downtime—with a Pinterest link for ideas that don’t require glitter. Because I said no more glitter after 2022.
It rearranges meetings to fit piano practice, flags that the summer camp deposit is due, and schedules email follow-ups with the board team at work. Without me lifting a finger.
Step 4: It Takes Action
Here’s where it earns MVP status.
Agentic AI doesn’t stop at planning. It does things.
It fills out the camp registration form, sends a gentle nudge to the teacher asking if “candy” means wrapped treats or loose jellybeans, drafts that work proposal, and even reschedules my dentist appointment—again.
It’s like the personal assistant I’ve always dreamed of, minus the awkward small talk.
Step 5: It Learns and Gets Better
Let’s say I forget to pack the candy. Again.
Agentic AI doesn’t sigh and roll its digital eyes. It makes a note: next time, send the reminder the night before. Maybe suggest online ordering instead of last-minute store runs. It learns my patterns, picks up on where things fall apart, and builds smarter strategies for next time.
Honestly? If it could make dinner and braid hair, I might marry it.
Why This Actually Matters
You might be thinking this sounds like science fiction—or worse, another tech promise that falls short. I get it. My bathroom drawer is filled with gadgets that claimed to change my life. But agentic AI is fundamentally different because it's not just responding to commands—it's understanding context and making decisions. This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about capacity.
Agentic AI could free up mental space we didn’t even realize we’d lost. It doesn’t just help—it takes ownership. It plans, executes, reflects, and improves.
That means less juggling. Less chaos. More time to be present at the book fair instead of mentally drafting five emails while pretending to care about unicorn erasers.
It’s not just smart. It’s agentic—and in a life as layered as mine, that’s a game changer. Agentic AI is showing up like the one who doesn’t ask, “What do you need?” but says, “I already handled it.”
Bonus Thought: You’re Already Kind of Agentic
You do this all the time.
You plan dinner. You check what’s in the fridge (perception), remember what you made last week (memory), pick a recipe (planning), grab tools (knife, pan), taste and tweak (feedback), and adjust next time (learning).
Agentic AI isn’t a sci-fi leap—it’s just tech borrowing how we already think.
P.S. This is a 5-Part Series
How Agentic AI Works: The 5-Step Loop and (Part 3.5 for the techies)
Why Agents Need Boundaries: The case for keeping humans in the loop
How You Can Use Agentic AI Today: Practical tools and workflows
Comments