What Is an AI Agent? › From Answering to Acting

Think about the difference between asking a friend for advice versus asking them to help you complete a task. When you ask "How do I book a flight to Paris?", your friend explains the steps: check flight comparison sites, look at dates, enter payment info, and so on. That's asking for advice.

But when you ask "Can you book me a flight to Paris?", something different happens. Your friend goes online, searches flights, picks one that fits your budget and schedule, and completes the booking. That's asking for help.

A traditional chatbot is like the first friend: it tells you what to do. An AI agent is like the second friend: it can do it for you.