Systems

Agent

An AI system that plans, uses tools, and checks progress.

Plain-English explanation

Agents combine a model with tools, state, memory, permissions, and control flow. Good agents have clear goals, logs, approvals, and stopping rules.

Why it matters

Agent matters because it affects how AI systems are designed, evaluated, priced, or trusted. Knowing the term helps you ask better questions and avoid vague implementation decisions.

Ask how it changes quality, cost, speed, or safety.
Look for concrete examples in the workflow you are building.
Document the tradeoff before choosing a tool or architecture.