How Agentic AI Works Like a Restaurant | Emily Tell, EMBA posted on the topic | LinkedIn

Agentic AI functions much like a well-run restaurant, with orchestration layers coordinating a variety of specialized services to deliver seamless outcomes. The strategy begins with clear intent—defining the menu of possible tasks, anticipating demand, and mapping decision boundaries so the system knows when to take initiative and when to escalate.

Just as hosts, waitstaff, and chefs collaborate, autonomous agents, planning models, and execution tools pass context-rich tickets to one another. Memory and knowledge bases serve as the pantry, ensuring each request draws on accurate, up-to-date ingredients while guardrails prevent over-seasoned or unsafe outputs.

In both restaurants and agentic AI, continuous improvement hinges on feedback loops: diners’ reactions refine the menu, while telemetry and human oversight refine prompts, policies, and playbooks. Leaders who invest in these loops can scale personalized experiences without sacrificing trust, quality, or brand voice.