AI agent

AI agent: A system in which a language model decides which actions and tools to use, within defined limits, to complete a task, rather than following a fixed sequence of steps.

Why it matters

When evaluating an agent, ask what tools it can call, what it is not allowed to do, how its outputs are validated in code, where a human approves and how its decisions are logged. Those answers predict reliability far better than which model it uses or how impressive the demo looked.

Related terms

• Agentic AI: An approach to building software in which AI agents pursue goals by planning and executing multi-step actions with tools, choosing each next step based on results.
• Copilot: An AI assistant embedded in a product or workflow that suggests or drafts actions for a human who stays in control of the final decision.

Where it comes up

• What is the difference between AI agents and agentic AI?
• Agentic AI for Business: What It Is and What Actually Works

In practice

In a Sudo Sapient sprint, this is a building block of AI Product Development: agents, copilots and AI-native features shipped in 6–10 weeks. Sudo Sapient's services describe the scope.