Different Evals for Agentic AI: Methods, Metrics & Best Practices
Blog post from testRigor
Agentic AI represents a significant evolution in artificial intelligence, advancing from merely generating text to autonomously executing multi-step tasks with minimal human intervention. Unlike traditional AI models, agentic AI systems are designed to perceive their environment, form plans, take action, and self-correct, functioning as dedicated digital employees rather than sophisticated calculators. They require a distinct set of evaluation techniques due to their non-deterministic and probabilistic nature, which makes conventional software testing methods inadequate. Evaluating agentic AI involves both outcome-based and trajectory-based assessments, focusing not only on task completion but also on the decision-making process and resilience to errors. This includes using automated tools and human oversight to ensure reliability and safety, especially in high-stakes domains. The complex architecture of agentic AI systems involves key components like a reasoning engine, memory, a tool belt for interaction, and an execution loop for control. Effective testing frameworks leverage AI-assisted tools to assess these systems' external behavior, tool usage, robustness, and ability to self-correct in dynamic environments, ensuring that the agents deliver consistent business value while maintaining compliance and safety standards.
| Trend | Post Mentions | Total Month Mentions | Posts | Companies | MoM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Agents | 37 | 6,200 | 1,430 | 272 | +10% |
| LLM | 25 | 6,292 | 1,205 | 252 | -36% |
| AI Guardrails | 9 | 524 | 184 | 65 | +94% |
| RAG | 8 | 1,005 | 263 | 108 | -56% |
| Observability | 7 | 4,261 | 791 | 201 | +16% |
| Real-time | 4 | 6,055 | 1,444 | 270 | -11% |
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