AI Agent Fundamentals

So what is an AI agent, really?

In plain English, an agent is AI that doesn't just answer a question. You give it a goal, and it can use tools and apps and take several steps to get the job done.

Here's how a few of the companies describe it: n8n's AI Agent node docs describe a system that takes in information, makes decisions, and takes action using tools and APIs (APIs are the connections software uses to talk to other software). Zapier's Help docs call agents AI-powered assistants that do work for you, either on their own or while you chat with them. xAI's Grok Bot page describes AI teammates that take tasks from start to finish on a computer, can work side by side, and come back to you for approval.

Now, here's the part that matters for your business. When you're looking at any agent, ask four simple questions: 1. What tools and apps can it actually touch? 2. What needs your OK before it happens? 3. What are you paying for? 4. What did the company actually document, and what's just marketing talk?

A quick word on our labels. "Verified from official docs" means we checked the facts against the company's own pages, with a date. "Conceptual" means it's a playbook or idea, still useful, but you'll want to use your own judgment. We don't make up pricing, features, or test results. If we don't know something, we say so.

Where to go next: take a look at the Agent Directory for profiles backed by official docs. Then read one of our workflows as a checklist, just not as proof that it worked for us.