This paper from Stanford and Harvard explains why most “agentic AI” systems feel impressive in demos and then completely fall apart in real use. The core argument is simple and uncomfortable: agents don’t fail because they lack intelligence. They fail because they don’t adapt. The research shows that most agents are built to execute plans, not revise them. They assume the world stays stable. Tools work as expected. Goals remain valid. Once any of that changes, the agent keeps going anyway,…