2025, the year of agentic AI. So what?

In the Innovation groups and with my MIT colleagues, there is a common idea that 2025 will be the year of agentic AI.

Panic? Fear of being left behind?

Even if you are not in the Tech world, watching NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's presentation at the AI Summit Japan is worth watching bring that feeling.

Besides topics like data as national security, building AI roads, Japan's pioneers, and new technologies and ecosystems, I got focused on one question: How can I catch up on all of this? Accept, learn, and adapt, but be "passionate about your problems."

Technology won't replace people as a whole. As he said in his presentation, agents may not replace us in 100% of our work activities. It could be 50% of the current, allowing us to focus and develop other activities, processes, and products, the best use of our time.

It is always easier to look backwards and project the future, right?

A few examples:

What did I have to learn in four years as a Six Sigma Black Belt, going back to my early career years? Process mapping, analysis tools, contingency plans, applying technologies, frameworks and methodologies, influencing teams, leveraging learnings from one area to the other, and primary and advanced statistics. What an AI agent could have done for me? What should I refocus on?Then, those learnings and tools allowed me to become a consultant in a different industry. I could have my agent helping me leverage more and more efficiently so I could dedicate attention and time to developing markets and assisting customers to do leapfrogs in managing their hospitals and clinics. Then, learning so profoundly about customers and carrying learnings from Six Sigma and Sales, I moved to Market Intelligence, then Marketing, then Commercial development, then Branding, then business development and new business models again. My passion has been solving business and customers' customers problems, which will remain the same with Technology.

Knowing the problems well and having multiple areas of interest, experience, and expertise is critical to determining where to apply Agentic AI!

Get out of your caves and bubbles, learn from others, and get in contact with people, customers, other functions in your company, other players in our market, or players from different segments. Read Philosophy, Romance, Science Fiction, Biographies, and History, play sports (competitive or entertaining), talk (not text only) to people, and practice profound observation. Do not get afraid of problems; be passionate about them - look the problem deep into its eyes and say, come on, let us make it.

As a father of two and uncle of three, if I could help them prepare for the future, I would not refocus their education on learning coding, prompting, quantum computing, etc. I would focus on assisting them in developing critical thinking, not being afraid of facing challenges, and knowing where and how to find tools to solve them. Critical thinking, diverse knowledge, and contact with people allow them to smartly use technology (this or others that are yet to come). That also allows them NOT to USE technology where it should not be used. To avoid people who will misuse tech for evil purposes.

As Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, said during this video, "We are still unique... intelligence is so much more valuable... the reasoning is amazing!"

In a world of possibilities, focus becomes another of our greatest allies—it is so easy to get lost! It is just so much easier than before.

Understanding your industry, processes, or niche at a deep level allows you to identify where Technology can be applied effectively—and, just as importantly, where it shouldn't. Those tools can amplify our capabilities, but it's our vision, creativity, and execution focus that turn opportunities into lasting impact. Leaders who can see beyond trends, embrace innovation without losing sight of their purpose, and foster collaboration between Technology and people will survive and thrive.

That is what brought my passion to Kompassium: a set of deep experts cautiously curated for having both their hands dirty with excellent execution track records, are on top of the latest developments and bring a strong network of another set of experts. People who are running companies, launching billion-dollar products, advising a diverse set of investment funds and agents, mentoring startups and establishing firms in Brazil, Colombia, the US, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa, Dubai, Germany, France, Poland, Japan, India, China, Australia (to name a few of the actual places in which those experiences were forged or are currently being applied). It is like a baby nursery of new business models, growth and market disruption ideas.

Does Technology change this passion? No, it enables it.

How can we help companies sustain their passions, not fear the challenges and get ready to solve them? Be fast, learn, test, adapt, progress.

So, as we look toward 2025, let's embrace the opportunities before us. Let's focus on what makes us unique, amplify it with the right tools, and build a future where human leadership and Agentic AI work hand in hand to transform industries and lives.