Agentic AI
30 min read
What Are AI Agents?
Autonomous AI systems
What if AI could not just answer questions, but actually take action? AI agents can browse the web, write and run code, send emails, and complete multi-step tasks. They're the next evolution of AI systems.
From Chatbots to Agents
Traditional chatbots respond to single queries. You ask a question, they answer. Agents are different. You give them a goal, and they figure out the steps: search for information, analyze data, write a report, send it to your team. They can call APIs, use tools, and persist across multiple interactions.
Agent Architecture
An AI agent typically has: 1) A language model as its "brain," 2) Tools it can use (web search, code execution, APIs), 3) Memory to track its progress, 4) A planning system to break goals into steps. The model decides which tool to use and when, creating a loop of observe → think → act → observe.
Real-World Applications
Agents are already being used for customer support (resolve issues end-to-end), research (gather and synthesize information), coding (implement features across multiple files), and automation (handle repetitive multi-step workflows). As agents mature, they'll handle increasingly complex real-world tasks.
💡 Key Takeaways
- Agents take actions, not just generate text
- Architecture = LLM brain + tools + memory + planning
- Already used for support, research, coding, automation
- The next evolution beyond chatbots
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