What is an AI Agent? An Explainer

AI agents are self-sufficient digital team members that can tackle repetitive tasks, brainstorm ideas, and answer questions independently. They operate through a continuous loop of sensing, reasoning, and acting, using algorithms or models to interpret data and decide on their actions. AI agents have different types, including simple reactive agents, model-based agents, learning agents, advanced agents such as goal-based and utility-based agents. These agents can be used in various scenarios like health monitoring companions, travel planners, learning coaches, home energy optimizers, and more. They work through a modular architecture consisting of perception layer, decision-making layer, action layer, and learning layer. Building, training, and deploying AI agents requires careful planning, robust data, and a clear understanding of their limitations, but they offer adaptability, efficiency, and creativity across diverse applications.