What is agentic AI, and why does it matter for leaders?
Agentic AI — systems that can plan, reason, call tools, and take multi-step action with limited human oversight — represents the next major inflection point in enterprise AI. Where generative AI changed how organizations create content and answers, agentic AI changes how work itself gets done, shifting AI from an assistant that responds to a colleague that acts.
This executive sprint from WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo gives current and aspiring leaders a working understanding of what agentic AI is, how it is built and governed, where it creates real business value, and what it demands of leadership. Across four logically sequenced live sessions, participants move from technical foundations to strategic application to organizational change — leaving with a practical framework and a roadmap they can apply immediately in their own organization.
This program is regularly updated to reflect the fast-moving realities of agentic AI adoption, tooling, and governance.
What you will learn
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Session 1: From Chatbots to Agents — Foundations of Agentic AI |
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Session 2: Designing Agentic Workflows — Architecture, Orchestration, and Control |
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Session 3: Agentic AI in the Enterprise — Use Cases, Value, and Return on Investment |
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Session 4: Leading the Agentic Organization — Governance, Risk, and Change Leadership |
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How you will learn
This executive sprint offers multiple modes of learning designed to get you up to speed quickly on agentic AI strategy and implementation. This includes:
- 90-minute live virtual sessions, held weekly, combining short instructor presentations with facilitated and peer-led discussion.
- Curated readings and case examples that let you dig deeper into topics most relevant to your organization.
- An applied roadmap exercise: participants map agentic AI opportunities, risks, and a 90-day action plan for their own organization.
- Peer breakout discussions each session, drawing on the experience of a cross-industry executive cohort.
Who should enrol?
This executive sprint is designed for:
- Senior leaders who need to set strategy and allocate investment for agentic AI initiatives.
- Functional leaders in operations, finance, marketing, HR, and customer experience evaluating where agents can take on real work.
- Technology and data leaders translating agentic AI capability into governed, production-ready deployments.
- Risk, compliance, and governance professionals assessing accountability and control for autonomous systems.
- Entrepreneurs and consultants advising organizations on where and how to adopt agentic AI responsibly.
Your instructor
Ana Crisan
Assistant Professor, Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo
Anamaria (Ana) Crisan is an assistant professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. Her interdisciplinary research integrates techniques and methodologies from artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction to develop human-centred AI tools for data-driven decision making.
Her research explores how visual and interactive interfaces can serve as a valuable medium for collaboration and information exchange between people and AI systems. Before joining Waterloo, Crisan held several industrial research appointments. She was formerly a lead research scientist at Tableau, a research scientist at the British Columbia Center for Disease Control, and a bioinformatician at Decipher Biosciences. Her cutting-edge research led to the development and deployment of AI-infused products for clinical use. Her award-winning research appears in top-tier venues of ACM (CHI, FAccT) and IEEE (Vis) in addition to highly ranked biomedical journals (Nature, Oxford Bioinformatics, PLOS).
Receive a certificate from the University of Waterloo
Participants who complete all four sessions receive an executive education certificate of completion from the University of Waterloo.
Bring Waterloo expertise to your organization
WatSPEED can provide premium custom learning experiences for organizations seeking to strengthen executive readiness for responsible AI adoption, governance, policy development, and organizational oversight. Register three or more team members from the same organization and receive 15 per cent off.
For more information, visit our Custom Training page or contact our team at watspeed@uwaterloo.ca.
Why WatSPEED?
WatSPEED connects the University of Waterloo’s global expertise in technology, innovation, public policy, and applied research with the practical governance challenges leaders face as AI becomes increasingly embedded across organizations, institutions, and society.
- #1 ranking as most innovative university in Canada for 30 of the last 33 years (Maclean's University Rankings): Waterloo’s leadership in technology and innovation provides the foundation for executive programs designed to help organizations navigate emerging AI realities with greater strategic confidence and institutional readiness.
- Deep expertise at the intersection of AI, governance, and organizational leadership: Executive programs are informed by interdisciplinary perspectives spanning technology, strategy, policy, risk, ethics, and organizational transformation — reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of AI governance decisions.
- Applied executive learning for real organizational environments: Programs are grounded in practical governance frameworks, executive decision-making scenarios, implementation considerations, and emerging regulatory realities that leaders must navigate today.
- Built for leaders responsible for oversight, accountability, and organizational trust: Executive learning experiences are designed for senior leaders, board members, policy-makers,
compliance professionals, and transformation leaders responsible for guiding AI adoption
in ways that balance innovation, governance, accountability, and public trust.
Related courses
Frequently asked questions about the agentic AI executive sprint
What is agentic AI?
Agentic AI refers to AI systems that can plan, reason, call tools, and take multi-step action with limited human oversight. Where generative AI changed how organizations create content and answers, agentic AI changes how work itself gets done, shifting AI from an assistant that responds to a colleague that acts.
Is there an agentic AI course for executives in Canada?
Yes. Unlocking Value with Agentic AI: An Executive Blueprint is a four-week, live virtual executive sprint offered by WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo. It covers how agentic AI is built, governed, and applied, and participants leave with a 90-day roadmap for leading its adoption in their organization.
Who should take this agentic AI executive program?
The program is designed for senior leaders setting AI strategy and investment; functional leaders in operations, finance, marketing, HR, and customer experience; technology and data leaders; risk, compliance, and governance professionals; and entrepreneurs and consultants advising organizations on agentic AI adoption.
Do I need a technical or coding background?
No coding is required. This executive sprint focuses on strategy, value creation, governance, and leadership. It explains how agents work technically so leaders can make informed decisions, but participants do not build agents. Professionals who want hands-on development skills should consider WatSPEED's technical Agentic AI course.
How long is the program and how is it delivered?
The program runs for four weeks with one live, instructor-led virtual session per week. Each session is 90 minutes, for six hours of total contact time, and combines short instructor presentations with facilitated and peer-led discussion in a cross-industry executive cohort.
What will I leave the program with?
Participants leave with a practical framework for evaluating agentic AI opportunities, an ROI and readiness assessment, a governance approach covering permissioning, data handling, monitoring, and escalation, and a 90-day action plan for leading agentic AI adoption in their own organization.
Do I receive a certificate from the University of Waterloo?
Yes. Participants who complete all four sessions receive a professional education certificate of completion from the University of Waterloo.
Who teaches the agentic AI executive sprint?
The program is led by Ana Crisan, Assistant Professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. Her research combines artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction, and she previously held industry research roles including lead research scientist at Tableau.
How is this different from WatSPEED's technical Agentic AI course?
This executive sprint is a four-week leadership program on strategy, value, governance, and change, with no coding. WatSPEED's technical Agentic AI course is a six-week, hands-on course for developers and data scientists that requires Python and teaches how to build agents with tools such as LangChain and Model Context Protocol.
How much does the program cost and are discounts available?
The program fee is [REPLACE WITH PRICE] CAD plus applicable taxes. WatSPEED offers general, early bird, and alumni discounts; current offers are listed on the WatSPEED Discounts and Promotions page.
Can my organization enrol a team or request a custom program?
Yes. WatSPEED works with organizations on group registrations and custom executive training designed around their goals. Contact the WatSPEED team at watspeed@uwaterloo.ca or +1 (519) 888-4773 to discuss options for your leadership team.
Is the course content kept up to date?
Yes. The program is regularly updated to reflect the fast-moving realities of agentic AI adoption, tooling, and governance, including evolving security risks and the emerging regulatory landscape for autonomous AI.
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