Definition · foundations
AI agent
AI agent is a system that observes a setting, chooses goal-led actions, and acts on that setting. You can spot AI agent in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does AI agent matter?
Calling something an agent means it observes, chooses, and acts. That claim should be backed by a real action path, not a chat interface alone. For AI agent, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does AI agent look like?
A maintenance agent reads sensor alerts, schedules an inspection, and records the work order. This example makes AI agent visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is AI agent easy to confuse with?
An AI agent acts on a setting. A large language model may supply language or decisions without being the whole agent. The closest entries here are agentic RAG, approval gate, agency. Compare their definitions with AI agent before using the names as if they mean the same thing.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term AI agent?
We have not verified who first introduced AI agent. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before AI agent?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when AI agent depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use AI agent to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of AI agent?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of AI agent. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to AI agent; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundAI agentChecked 2026-07-12→