What Is an AI Agent?
An AI agent is a system that perceives context, decides on an action, and acts — often with tools. The definition is simple; the implications for spend are not.
The core loop
Perceive: take in context (prompts, tools, state).
Decide: choose the next action.
Act: call a tool, write output, or trigger a workflow.
Why agents are different from chatbots
Chatbots respond; agents act. Acting means side effects — including spending money.
The spend implication
Every action can be a purchase. Agents with tool access are spend-capable by design.
That's why the money path needs a deterministic gate.
FAQ
Do all agents spend money?
Only those with access to paid tools — but tool access is the norm.
What's the difference from an LLM?
An LLM generates text; an agent decides and acts with tools.
Related
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