AI agent, explained
The key word is choose. A normal program follows steps that someone wrote in advance. An agent looks at what it just found, then picks the next tool or action itself. Anthropic draws the line this way: in a workflow, the steps are set in code, and in an agent, the model directs its own process and its use of tools.
Google’s glossary puts it in similar terms: software that can reason about what a person asks, then plan and carry out actions for them. In practice, the people who set it up still decide which tools it may use, what it may never send, and who can stop it.
How is an AI agent different from a workflow?
A workflow repeats steps in an order you wrote down. An agent picks the order as it goes, based on what each step turns up. If you already know the steps, a workflow is often enough. Anthropic’s own advice is to start with the simplest thing that works and add an agent only when the simple version falls short.
Does an AI agent work without people?
It can act on its own between checkpoints, but it should not run without limits. Anthropic suggests clear stopping rules and points where the agent can pause for a person. On this site we keep a named person who can check the work and stop a send.
Questions
What is an AI agent in simple terms?
An AI agent is a program that uses an AI model to decide its own next step toward a goal, such as looking up a booking or drafting a reply. People set the limits it works inside.
Is a chatbot an AI agent?
Not always. A chatbot that only answers questions is not choosing actions. It becomes more like an agent when it can pick and use tools, such as a calendar or a search, to finish a task.
Do I need an AI agent or a workflow?
If you can write the steps down in order and they rarely change, a workflow is usually enough. An agent fits work where the next step depends on what the last step found.
Where we use this term
- What Is an AI Agent? A Plain Answer for Owners
- AI Agents vs Agentic AI: A Plain Split
- AI Agents for Business: When to Use One
- AI Automation Agency vs Consultant: Who to Hire
- AI Consultant for Small Business: What to Ask
- An AI Implementation Framework in Five Stages
- AI Readiness Assessment: What It Measures and How to Score
- Business Process Automation With AI: Write the Job
- Why AI Pilots Stall After the Demo
- HQ, the client workspace
Sources
- Building effective agents. Anthropic. .
- Machine Learning Glossary. Google for Developers.
Definition checked against these sources and our own pages on .