In the field of artificial intelligence (AI), an AI agent is a type of AI that is intended to function independently, interacting with both its surroundings and itself to accomplish a certain objective without requiring human intervention.
AI agents are computer literate; they can read and write files, run apps, access the web, and even use credit cards to make purchases. Furthermore, by automatically adapting themselves to fit the task at hand, AI agents can enhance the concepts of automation and operate in uncertain contexts with a wealth of new knowledge.
A conventional AI agent works towards a set goal through the use of a multi-step process; in simple terms, these steps are:
Goal Initialization - The agent sends your request to the main large language model (LLM) and provides the first output of its internal monologue, indicating that it understands the task.
Task List - After confirming its ultimate purpose, the agent will construct a series of tasks that, when completed in order, will result in the intended outcome.
Gather Information - Following its plan, the agent will begin exploring the internet for relevant information on its task. Some agents can even communicate with other AI models to 'outsource' tasks and decisions.
Store Data - The agent stores and manages this information, both to relay it back to the user and to improve its strategy moving forward.
Gather Feedback - Based on how many tasks have been accomplished, the agent determines how far it is from its goal while gathering feedback from external sources and its internal monologue.
Continue Iterating - Until the goal is fulfilled, the agent will iterate, producing new tasks, gathering further information and feedback.
Why are AI agents important?
In their whitepaper titled The Ethics of Advanced AI Assistants, researchers from Google DeepMind state that “AI assistants are likely to have a profound impact on our individual and collective lives.”
Even though it's difficult to foresee all the potential applications and ramifications of AI agents in the future, if this field develops at the same rate as general AI, workable commercial AI agent platforms could be available very soon.