The development of autonomous AI agents, capable of complex planning and action, represent a significant technological evolution beyond current generative tools. As these systems become integrated into political and economic life, their distribution and capabilities will be highly consequential. This paper introduces and explores “agentic inequality” – the potential disparities in power, opportunity, and outcomes stemming from differential access to, and capabilities of, AI agents.
We analyse the dual potential of this technology, exploring how agents could both exacerbate existing divides and, under the right conditions, serve as a powerful equalising force. To this end, the paper makes three primary contributions. First, it establishes an analytical framework by delineating the three core dimensions through which this inequality can manifest: disparities in the availability, quality, and quantity of agents. Second, it argues that agentic inequality is distinct from prior technological divides. Unlike tools that primarily augment human abilities, agents act as autonomous delegates, creating novel power asymmetries through scalable goal delegation and direct agent-to-agent competition that are poised to reshape outcomes across economic and socio-political spheres. Finally, it provides a systematic analysis of the technical and socioeconomic drivers – from model release strategies to market incentives – that are likely to shape the distribution of agentic power, concluding with a research agenda for navigating the complex governance challenges ahead.
