Glossary
AI agent
An AI system that takes actions toward a goal, such as using tools, browsing, or running code, with limited step-by-step human direction.
An AI agent is a system, usually built on a large language model, that does more than answer a question. Given a goal, it can plan steps and act: search the web, click through websites, write and run code, send messages, or call other software tools.
Agents raise practical questions that chatbots do not. What data and accounts can the agent reach? Which actions need human approval? Who is responsible when it makes a mistake? Errors can compound over many steps, and agents can be manipulated by instructions hidden in content they read.
"Agent" is also a popular marketing label. A product called an agent may be anything from a fully autonomous system to a chatbot with a few added tools, so look for what it can actually do without a person approving each step.