AI Agent
An AI agent is an AI system that autonomously formulates plans toward given goals and executes tasks by invoking external tools.
Fundamental Differences from Traditional Chatbots
Traditional AI assistants operated in a "one question, one answer" format, where a user asks a single question and receives a single response. AI agents differ from this model: given a goal, they independently construct the intermediate steps required to achieve it, performing API calls, file operations, web searches, and more as needed, before returning a final deliverable. Their defining characteristic is that humans do not need to provide step-by-step instructions.
How They Work
AI agents generally operate on the following loop:
- Observe — Grasp the current situation (user instructions, tool outputs, error messages, etc.)
- Think — Reason about what action to take next
- Act — Perform concrete operations such as calling external tools, executing code, or editing files
- Iterate — Observe the results and repeat until the goal is reached
Underpinning this loop are the reasoning capabilities of LLMs (Large Language Models) and tool-connectivity mechanisms such as MCP (Model Context Protocol).
Why They Are Attracting Attention in 2026
Coding agents capable of autonomously handling software development tasks—such as Claude Code, Devin, and OpenAI Codex—have reached the stage of practical use. Furthermore, in the realm of enterprise workflow automation, "multi-agent" architectures, in which multiple agents work in coordination, are becoming increasingly widespread. Google's A2A (Agent-to-Agent) protocol is being developed as a standard specification enabling agents from different vendors to communicate with one another.
However, granting agents excessive permissions carries the risk of unintended operations. In production environments, it is essential to incorporate sandboxed execution and approval workflows for critical operations.
Related Terms
Agentic AI
Agentic AI is a general term for AI systems that interpret goals and autonomously repeat the cycle of planning, executing, and verifying actions without requiring step-by-step human instruction.
AI Employee (AI Employee)
An autonomous AI agent that takes on a specific business role and continuously performs tasks in the same manner as a human employee. It differs from conventional AI assistants in that it holds a defined scope of responsibility as a job function, rather than simply responding to one-off instructions.
Multi-Agent System
A multi-agent system is an architecture in which multiple AI agents divide roles and coordinate with each other to accomplish a shared objective.
