Term

AI agent

An AI agent is a system that takes a goal, uses tools, and acts across steps without a human prompting each one. A chatbot answers a turn. An automation runs a fixed script. An agent is accountable only when it has a charter: inputs, outputs, authority ceiling, and a review gate. Without those, it is a demo that can spend money.

When to use it

Use this definition when someone calls every LLM wrapper an agent.

Do not confuse with

Not a job title and not a chatbot with a system prompt.