Agentic AI has captured the imagination of healthcare IT leaders with its promise of intelligent, autonomous decision-making.
But while visions of fully self-governing systems are compelling, today's agentic AI tools are more like the Sony Walkman — innovative, yes, but still limited in functionality — than the seamless intelligence of Spotify.
The truth is, healthcare organizations are only beginning to experiment with agentic AI, and even the most advanced implementations require considerable oversight.
In ViVE 2025, Jason Warrelman described current agentic AI systems as “highly guided” rather than truly autonomous. Much like a Walkman requires the user to select a tape, flip it over, and manually adjust settings, today's agentic AI systems require significant prompt engineering and ongoing refinement. These systems follow defined paths but lack the nuanced flexibility of fully agentic AI tools.
Despite these limitations, rudimentary agentic AI tools are already supporting healthcare organizations in various ways. Key examples include:
- Threat intelligence augmentation
- Automated response systems
- Enhanced vulnerability management
- Care coordination and post-discharge monitoring
- Revenue cycle management