The world of artificial intelligence is currently at a tipping point. If the years 2023 and 2024 belonged to the rise of large language models (LLMs), teaching us that machines can write text and code, the years 2025 and 2026 belong to agentic AI. The difference is fundamental: an agent is not just a tool that advises you on how to plan a trip; an agent is a system that actually books the trip, pays for it, and in case of a flight delay, arranges alternative accommodation for you.
Programming as the First Proving Ground for Autonomous Agents
The first industry that agentic AI has truly transformed is software engineering. Programming became the "killer app" for generative AI, but it is agentic functions that have pushed the boundaries further. Instead of a developer copying a piece of code from a chat into their editor, agentic systems can now work directly within entire project repositories.
The leader of this trend has become Anthropic with its tool Claude Code. According to current data, this tool achieved an annual run rate of over 1 billion USD in less than a year since its launch. Thanks to it, Anthropic has over 300,000 corporate customers. Claude Code can not only generate code but also understands the context of the entire project, corrects errors, and performs testing.
An extremely intense battle is taking place in this area. Competition is inevitable:
- Cursor: An AI-powered editor that has become the most popular tool for modern developers thanks to the integration of agentic functions.
- OpenAI: The company is massively strengthening its capabilities within Codex and pursuing an aggressive pricing policy to maintain its leadership position.
Comparison for Developers: While standard models like GPT-4o or Claude 3.5 Sonnet excel in logic, agentic tools like Claude Code or Cursor stand out in autonomous executive management. For a Czech developer, this means their role is shifting from "code writer" to "agent architect and reviewer".
Pricing Policy and Availability
Most of these tools offer a Freemium model. For example, Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus cost approximately 20 USD per month (approx. 460 CZK). However, Enterprise versions with usage-based pricing are available for professional developers and companies, which is crucial for project scaling.
SaaSpocalypse: A Threat to Traditional Software
With the advent of agentic AI, the term "SaaSpocalypse" is spreading in technology circles. This is a scenario in which autonomous agents and the ability to generate custom software using AI will directly replace traditional SaaS (Software as a Service) products.
Today's companies pay monthly subscriptions for software (e.g., CRM, accounting systems, project tools). However, if a company, thanks to agentic AI, can "build" its own precisely tailored micro-application that performs specific tasks, the need to buy expensive licenses from large vendors disappears. This leads to a fundamental change in business models: companies are moving away from paying for the number of users and shifting to paying for the result or the volume of consumed performance.
This shift is already being felt in Europe, where the software market is heavily regulated, and companies emphasize cost efficiency. For Czech technology startups, this represents a huge opportunity – the ability to quickly develop specialized agentic tools for the local market can be much more effective than trying to compete with global SaaS giants.
Economic Reality: Enormous Development Costs
Although agentic AI seems to bring incredible efficiency, its economic foundation is extremely costly. There is a gap between companies that provide infrastructure (chips, data centers) and those that sell the applications themselves.
According to reports from Wall Street Journal, OpenAI expects to spend over 121 billion USD on computational power for research by 2028. Even as the revenues of these companies grow, the costs of training and operating new generations of models are growing even faster. This creates pressure to introduce new monetization strategies that will be able to cover these astronomical investments.
Impact on the Czech and European Market
For the Czech sphere, the most important factor is regulation. The EU AI Act sets clear rules for high-risk AI systems. Agentic AI, which can autonomously decide on financial transactions or in the area of security, will be under strict supervision.
What does this mean for you?
- For businesses: It's time to stop viewing AI merely as an "improved search engine" and start integrating agentic workflows into processes (e.g., automating customer support or logistics).
- For individuals: The importance is no longer just "knowing how to use AI," but "knowing how to manage AI agents." The ability to set complex goals and control results will be a key skill in the job market.
- Availability: Most top models (Claude, GPT) are available in Czech, although their best performance in agentic tasks still requires an English context for complex instructions.
What is the main difference between a regular chatbot and agentic AI?
A chatbot waits for your question and responds with text or code. Agentic AI has the ability to autonomously plan steps, use external tools (browser, calendar, terminal), and execute tasks until it achieves a given goal, without you having to guide it through each step.
Is agentic AI safe for sensitive company data?
This is the biggest challenge. Because agents need access to your systems to operate, the risk of data leakage increases. Companies must use Enterprise versions with guaranteed privacy protection and, within the EU, ensure compliance with regulations that limit AI autonomy in critical sectors.
Can agentic AI replace human employees in administration?
Agentic AI can automate repetitive, multi-step processes (e.g., invoicing, email management, booking). This does not necessarily mean replacing people, but a fundamental change in their work – people will focus more on strategy, quality control, and resolving exceptional situations that an agent cannot handle.