An AI agent is a software workflow that uses instructions, relevant information, and permitted tools to take bounded steps toward a goal. It is not an independent employee and it does not remove human responsibility.
Start with the Vibe Coding Guide
What an agent can do
A well-scoped agent can classify an incoming request, retrieve approved reference material, draft a response, prepare a task, or suggest a next step. It should have clear limits, a safe fallback, and a person who can review or override it.
A beginner-friendly example
For a small business, an agent could read a new inquiry, check it against a published service list, draft a reply using approved language, and place uncertain cases in a review queue. Start with drafts—not automatic sending—and test against real but permissioned examples.
Build responsibly
- Use only the minimum data needed and obtain permission.
- Give the workflow limited access and log significant actions.
- Define what happens when the agent is uncertain or fails.
- Review outcomes regularly as policies and tools change.
Learn how agents differ from chatbots, then practice context engineering in the guide hub.