Agentic Visualization: Extracting Agent-based Design Patterns from Visualization Systems

Autonomous agents powered by Large Language Models are transforming AI, creating an imperative for the visualization area. However, our field's focus on a human in the sensemaking loop raises critical questions about autonomy, delegation, and coordination for such agentic visualization that preserve human agency while amplifying analytical capabilities. This paper addresses these questions by reinterpreting existing visualization systems with semi-automated or fully automatic AI components through an agentic lens. Based on this analysis, we extract a collection of design patterns for agentic visualization, including agentic roles, communication, and coordination. These patterns provide a foundation for future agentic visualization systems that effectively harness AI agents while maintaining human insight and control.