AI and automation
What is an AI agent, and when should a business use one?
AI agents can automate information handling and repetitive tasks. Here is an honest look at where they help and where they do not.
A plain definition
An AI agent is a software component that accepts a goal or input, uses a language model and connected tools, and produces an output or takes an approved action: drafting replies, summarising documents, classifying requests, or retrieving information.
Where agents work well
High-volume, text-heavy, low-risk tasks with clear success criteria: answering common support questions from a knowledge base, summarising long threads, tagging and routing requests, and drafting first responses for human review.
Where they need caution
Consequential decisions involving money, legal, medical, employment, or security matters should keep a human in the loop. AI output can be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, so material decisions need review.
What to prepare
Good source material (documents, FAQs, product data), the exact tasks to automate, acceptable error limits, and the approval step. Without these, projects drift.
Start small
Pick one workflow, measure the before-and-after handling time and error rate, then expand. This keeps risk visible and results measurable.