AI agent
An AI agent is an AI system that works toward a goal by deciding on steps and taking actions, such as calling tools, searching data or updating records, rather than only producing a reply. In customer support, the term is also used loosely for any AI that answers customers on a company's behalf.
Example
An agent asked to "rebook my flight" might look up the booking, search for new flights, choose one within the fare rules and confirm the change, all without a person stepping in.
Why it matters for a website chatbot
Vendors use "AI agent" for very different products, so ask what a tool can actually do. ChatBento's agent answers questions from your content, captures leads and hands off to your team. It doesn't take actions in other systems, like issuing refunds or editing orders.
See it in practice: Ecommerce product questions
Related terms
- AI chatbotAn AI chatbot is software that holds a text conversation with people and writes its replies using artificial intelligence, usually a large language model, instead of following a fixed script. It can understand questions phrased in many different ways and, when connected to a knowledge base, answer from a specific organization's own information.
- Large language model (LLM)A large language model (LLM) is an AI model trained on very large amounts of text to predict and generate language. It can answer questions, summarize, translate and write. Its general knowledge comes from training data with a cutoff date, so it needs supplied documents to answer accurately about a specific business.
- GuardrailsGuardrails are rules and checks placed around an AI system to keep its behavior within safe, intended limits. They can restrict topics, block harmful or off-brand output, require answers to come from approved sources, filter inputs for attacks, and send uncertain or sensitive cases to a person.
- Conversational AIConversational AI is the field of technology that lets computers hold natural conversations with people in text or speech. It combines language understanding, dialogue management and language generation, and powers chatbots, voice assistants and phone systems that respond to what people say rather than to fixed menu choices.