Glossary

What is an AI agent?

An AI agent is software that uses an AI model to carry out a task step by step, choosing its actions and using other software along the way. Given a goal, it decides on a first step, such as running a search, looking up a record or drafting an email. It checks the result, then decides the next step. It stops when the task is done, when it needs a person to approve something, or when it gets stuck.

Why it matters for a business

An agent can take on work that spans several systems: chasing overdue invoices, triaging tickets, assembling a report from 3 sources. It also changes what a mistake costs, because an agent acts instead of only writing. What an agent can do is set by what it is connected to and the permissions on each connection, not by what its instructions ask. A prompt telling it to stay out of the payments system is a request. A connection it does not have is a limit.