Introduction to AI Agents

AI agents are autonomous software systems that can perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals. Unlike traditional rule-based systems, AI agents use machine learning and artificial intelligence to adapt and improve over time. They represent the next evolution in software — programs that don't just follow instructions, but reason, plan, and act independently.

The concept of AI agents dates back to the earliest days of artificial intelligence research. Today, advances in large language models (LLMs), reinforcement learning, and multi-modal AI have made truly autonomous agents a reality for businesses of all sizes.

Key takeaway: AI agents are software that can perceive, reason, and act — not just execute predefined rules.