An AI agent is a tool that, unlike an ordinary chat, does not just answer but carries out a sequence of steps – it looks up information, opens a system, fills in a form, sends a message or prepares a document. To do this, it must have access to company tools via interfaces or a browser. This very access is also the main risk: an agent acts quickly, and an error shows up before anyone notices. Sensible deployment therefore starts with low-risk, reversible tasks, with precisely defined permissions and a log of the steps carried out. For operations with a financial or contractual impact, it is recommended to keep an approval step for a human. The benefit is greatest where the same procedure repeats across multiple systems.
See also: Human oversight of AI, Automation platforms, AI system incident.
