An AI agent is more than a single chatbot reply. It is a system that can plan steps, use tools, read results, update its approach, and continue working toward a task.
In practice
Agents are used for coding, research, customer operations, data entry, analysis, browser tasks, and workflows that require multiple actions. The model is the brain, but tools and permissions define what it can actually do.
What to watch
Agents need boundaries. Without clear tools, approvals, budgets, and stop conditions, an agent can make mistakes faster than a normal chatbot.