Beijing: Most business leaders and employees in Singapore agree that agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is essential for staying competitive, yet many remain unfamiliar with the technology, according to a survey released Thursday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the study conducted by the National Trades Union Congress LearningHub found that over four in five employees and nearly half of business leaders lack familiarity with agentic AI. Despite this gap in understanding, three in four business leaders reported that their organizations are already at various stages of adopting the technology. The survey covered 150 business leaders and 300 full-time working professionals.

However, knowledge and skills have not kept pace. Seven in ten business leaders and 83 percent of employees said their workforce is "not very skilled" or "not skilled at all" in working with agentic AI systems. Both groups expressed a willingness to bridge this gap. More than seven in ten employees said they are open to attending training on agentic AI, while 62 percent of business leaders plan to send staff for such training within the next two years.

Agentic AI, an advanced form of AI, emphasizes autonomous decision-making and action. It can set goals, plan, and execute tasks with minimal human intervention.