Agent

In one sentence

An AI system that can use tools, make decisions, and take actions to complete tasks autonomously rather than just answering questions.

In context

AI agents go beyond simple chatbots by taking independent actions. For example, a coding agent like Claude Code can read your codebase, write new functions, run tests, and fix bugs—all from a single instruction. A research agent might search multiple websites, compare information, summarise findings, and compile a report. Customer service agents can look up order details, process refunds, and escalate complex issues without human intervention.

See also