What’s the difference between generative AI, AI agents, and Agentic AI?

And why it matters to marketing

Most people lump all of this under one label: “AI.”
But if you’re building a business, running marketing campaigns, or just trying to move faster and smarter—you need to know the difference.

Because what’s possible today (and what’s coming next) isn’t one thing.
It’s three distinct stages of capability—and how you use them could make or break your next big move.

Let’s break it down:

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1. Generative AI

This is the AI you probably use now.
Think: ChatGPT, image generators, AI writing tools.

🧠 What it does well:

• Responds to prompts

• Generates text, images, or code

• Helps brainstorm, summarize, outline, and edit

⚠️ But it won’t:

• Take initiative

• Remember anything from task to task

• Act on your behalf

Generative AI is like an extremely smart intern who needs constant instructions.
It’s fast, it’s helpful—but it waits for you to tell it what to do next.

Use it for:
→ Writing posts, emails, ad copy
→ Researching topics
→ Creating variations of existing ideas