An AI agent is an AI system that carries out tasks on its own: it is given a goal, can decide the steps itself and use tools — such as searching, calling an API or drafting an email — and delivers a result. The difference with a chatbot: an agent acts, instead of only answering.
AI agents in practice
In business processes, agents appear where classic automation stops: unstructured input. Think of sorting and summarising incoming emails, pulling data out of PDF invoices or preparing a first draft reply. The rule-based workflow around it still determines what happens with that result.
The sober approach: let agents prepare and let people decide, certainly when customer contact and money are involved. Start with one well-defined task with a check afterwards, and measure whether the result really is better and faster than the existing route. More context in AI automation for SMBs.
Related terms
- Workflow automation — Workflow automation means letting successive process steps run automatically based on an event: an order comes in, and the invoice is created, the customer is emailed and the stock is updated — without manual steps in between.
- RPA — RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is software that mimics human actions in existing screens: logging in, clicking, copying and pasting — according to a fixed script.
- No-code — No-code means building software or automating processes without programming: you assemble applications, flows or websites in a visual environment.