Agentic (Pillar: Agentic)
Agentic refers to the use of autonomous or semi-autonomous AI agents that can plan, use tools, and make decisions – often across longer time periods and multi-step processes.
What does Agentic mean in WAF++?
The Agentic pillar addresses the architectural and operational requirements for:
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Autonomous Agents: Single AI agents with planning and decision-making capabilities
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Multi-Agent Systems: Cooperating or competing agents with shared goals
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Agent Orchestration: Coordination across agents (Manager/Worker, Swarm, Mesh)
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Human-in-the-Loop: Interfaces between human decision-makers and agents
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Agent Safety: Guardrails, verification, alignment, and fail-safe mechanisms
| Dimension | What is controlled? | WAF-AGN Control |
|---|---|---|
Agent Identity |
Are agents authenticated, addressable, and traceable? |
WAF-AGN-010 |
Tool Use |
Which tools may agents use – and what are the limits? |
WAF-AGN-020 |
Reasoning |
Is decision-making traceable and auditable? |
WAF-AGN-030 |
Memory & State |
Are memories and states managed consistently? |
WAF-AGN-040 |
Safety & Guardrails |
Are fail-safe, alignment, and verification in place? |
WAF-AGN-050 |
Orchestration |
How are many agents coordinated? |
WAF-AGN-060 |
Observability |
Are agent activities visible and measurable? |
WAF-AGN-070 |
Human-in-the-Loop |
When and how does human intervention happen? |
WAF-AGN-080 |
Cost & Performance |
Are agent operations economic and performant? |
WAF-AGN-090 |
Agent Debt |
Are known limitations documented? |
WAF-AGN-100 |
Controls Overview
The Agentic pillar is operationalized through 10 measurable controls (WAF-AGN-010 to WAF-AGN-100).
| Control ID | Title | Severity | Automatable |
|---|---|---|---|
Agent Identity & Authentication |
High |
High |
|
Tool Use Governance |
High |
High |
|
Reasoning Transparency |
Medium |
Medium |
|
Memory & State Management |
High |
High |
|
Safety & Guardrails |
High |
Partial |
|
Multi-Agent Orchestration |
Medium |
Medium |
|
Agent Observability |
Medium |
High |
|
Human-in-the-Loop |
High |
Low–Medium |
|
Cost & Performance Monitoring |
Medium |
High |
|
Agent Debt Register |
Low |
Partial |
Quick Start
New to the Agentic pillar? Recommended reading order:
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Definition – What is Agentic as a discipline?
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Scope – What is in scope, what not?
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Agentic Principles – 5-7 core principles
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Architectural Patterns – Typical systems
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Agent Design – Architectural questions
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Controls – The 10 measurable controls
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Best Practices – Implementation