What actually is Agentic AI?
There’s a slight problem happening in the industry right now, and accountants are feeling it probably more than most tech-heavy sectors…
There are way too many definitions of Agentic AI floating around.
Different vendors describe it differently. Different AI influencers pitch it differently. And it’s reached a point where the term is being used so inconsistently that it’s become confusing for those who actually want to use it.
So this blog is designed to remove that noise, and give you clarity.
It’s here to explain what Agentic AI really is… what it means specifically for accounting professionals… and how this type of AI will directly transform the future way accountants do their work.
So, what actually is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI refers to autonomous AI systems that are built to achieve goals independently with very little human direction. Rather than needing humans to constantly instruct them or guide every scenario, agentic AI behaves in a self-steering way — it is adaptable, goal focused, and capable of acting based on what it learns from the environment it’s working within.
It uses “agents” — models that behave more like decision makers than simple automations. These agents can evaluate information, respond to changes, decide next steps, and complete goals in real-time.
That’s the core difference:
Normal AI = predictive / supportive.
Agentic AI = intelligent doers.
This is AI that can take work off you, not just help you do work faster.
What does this mean for Accountants?
This is where things get exciting.
Accounting workflows are already filled with repeatable actions, contextual judgement calls, next step dependencies, and conditional decisions.
In other words: perfect ground for autonomous AI agents.
Examples of where Agentic AI becomes powerful inside an accounting firm:
Example Use Case | What Agentic AI would do |
Resolving unreconciled bank items automatically | Instead of piling a list of exceptions into a queue for you, an agent autonomously identifies the fix, applies rules, checks consistency, and completes the reconciliation. |
Chasing client paperwork | An agent detects missing documentation proactively, sends personalised requests, follows up automatically based on logic, and pushes files into the right place when received. |
Month end prep | The agent analyses ledger risk areas, performs checks, resolves “fixable” issues autonomously, and only allocates the genuinely human review items to you. |
Workflow management | Agents can float tasks between systems, people, and deadlines — preventing bottlenecks without someone manually governing prioritisation. |
This is different from automation rules.
This is different from outsourced VA work.
This is autonomous decision making.
Tips if you’re not using Agentic AI yet:
Start with one domain first (banking, AR, AP, forecasting, reporting etc.)
Measure time saved based on task completion, not just speed increase
Begin with tasks that are unfulfilling, repetitive and high volume
Don’t think “replace humans” – think free humans from the grind
Agentic AI is not about removing accountants.
It’s about removing the manual accounting.
Example of Agentic AI built for Accountants: houbeanie
Within the beanieverse, Agentic AI is the next evolution — and this is where houbeanie comes in.
houbeanie is built specifically for accountants, able to autonomously handle tasks inside firms that would normally take hours of checking, chasing, reviewing, nudging, and fixing.
houbeanie can run multiple agent types — each with very specific roles — for example:
The Client Chaser & Notifier (chases up clients so you don’t have to do it manually)
The Staff Q&A (answers repetitive questions that staff often ask so you don’t have to)
Document Comparison (compares documents for differences in moments)
Hiring Assistance (looks at CVs, compares them to job descriptions and requirements and recommends the best candidate)
houbeanie currently has an open beta — and you can now register to join the group testing out new features and experiencing what it is truly like using Agentic AI.
If you want to be involved in the first wave of accountants bringing agentic AI into real practice operations, you can sign up to the open beta here:
Final thoughts
Agentic AI is not hype.
It is not sci-fi.
It is the shift from AI that assists work…
to AI that removes work.
And when this becomes normal inside firms — the accounting industry changes forever.
Accountants won’t be eliminated.
It will finally eliminate the work accountants shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.
