Agents
An agent is an entity—human, software, or other—that perceives its environment, makes decisions, and acts to achieve goals; in computing and AI, it’s typically an autonomous program that observes inputs, reasons or plans, and takes actions via tools or APIs (sometimes coordinating with other agents), while in economics and law it refers to a person acting on behalf of a principal, and in broader usage it can mean any substance or mechanism that produces an effect.
Agentic AI refers to AI systems designed to pursue goals autonomously: they interpret objectives, plan multi-step actions, call tools/APIs, and adapt using memory and feedback loops (reflection, self-critique, retries). Unlike passive “assistants” that answer prompts, agentic systems take initiative, decompose tasks, coordinate with other agents, and monitor progress toward measurable outcomes.
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