What is AI Agent?
An AI agent is an autonomous software system that uses large language models (LLMs) to perceive, reason, plan, and take actions in the real world without constant human oversight.
An AI agent is an autonomous software system that uses large language models (LLMs) to perceive, reason, plan, and take actions in the real world without constant human oversight. Unlike simple AI assistants (which respond to prompts), agents can:
- Plan multi-step tasks by breaking goals into sub-goals - Use tools (APIs, databases, browsers, code execution) - Maintain memory across interactions - Make decisions autonomously based on context - Take actions that affect external systems
The 2025-2026 wave of AI agents includes coding agents (Devin, Cursor Agent), customer support agents, data analysis agents, and enterprise workflow agents.
Why It Matters
AI agents introduce a fundamentally new governance challenge: when an AI takes an action autonomously, who is liable? Richard Ewing's AI Liability Gradient framework addresses this directly — showing that organizational liability increases non-linearly with agent autonomy.
Exogram was built as the execution control plane for AI agents — the "IAM for agentic AI." It provides action admissibility filtering, truth ledger verification, and deterministic governance to ensure agents operate within defined boundaries.
How to Measure
Track agent autonomy level, action approval rate, error rate, liability exposure, and cost per agent action. Use the AI Liability Gradient to classify risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are AI agents safe to deploy in production?
Only with proper governance infrastructure. Uncontrolled AI agents can take actions that violate compliance, create liability, or damage customer relationships. Exogram's action admissibility layer provides the governance required.
What is the difference between an AI assistant and an AI agent?
An assistant responds to prompts and suggests actions. An agent autonomously plans, decides, and executes actions — often across multiple systems — without waiting for human approval at each step.
Related Terms
Need Expert Help?
Richard Ewing is a Product Economist and AI Capital Auditor. He helps companies translate technical complexity into financial clarity.
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