Agentic workflows vs automation: which one does your business need?
Rule-based automation and agentic workflows solve different problems. A simple way to decide which one fits each task in your business.
Placeholder article. Not every task needs an agent. Some need a simple rule. The trick is knowing which is which.
Use automation when the path is fixed
If you can write the steps down and they never change, classic automation is cheaper, faster and more predictable.
Use an agentic workflow when judgement is needed
If the task involves reading messy input, making a call or choosing between options, an agent with a human checkpoint does it better.
Most businesses need both
The best systems combine fixed automation for the routine steps and agents for the decisions in between.