What is an AI agent?

With an AI like ChatGPT, we’ve gotten used to asking questions.

“Give me restaurant ideas for Saturday night.”

An AI agent goes a bit further.

What is it?

An AI agent can use tools to do things for you.

For example, you might ask:

“Organize a dinner with my friends for Saturday night.”

The agent could then:

• check your calendar;
• look up restaurants;
• check availability;
• suggest a few options;
• add the reservation to your calendar.

So it no longer only explains how to do it.

It can help get the task done.

What’s the difference?

A simple way to see it:

AI: “Here’s how you could do it.”

AI agent: “I can take care of it.”

Of course, what an agent can actually do depends on the tools and permissions you give it.

Takeaway

An AI agent is an AI that can use tools and take several steps to complete a task.

It’s an important shift.

We’re moving quietly from talking with AI to working with AI.