Advanced · Generative AI

Autonomous Agents

Visual diagram · (in preparation) · Math · (in preparation) · Worked example · 3 difficulty levels.

TL;DR. AI systems that pursue goals over many steps with minimal human intervention.

Technical Definition

AI systems that pursue goals over many steps with minimal human intervention.

How it works

An autonomous agent loops: observe environment → reason → plan → act → repeat. Built on LLMs with tool use, memory, and reflection, agents can browse the web, write and execute code, file tickets, or operate a computer. Reliability, error recovery, and safety remain open challenges.

Related Concepts

• AI Agent — An AI system that autonomously plans, uses tools, and takes actions to accomplish goals through iterative reasoning.
• Tool Calling — An LLM capability where the model emits structured calls to external functions or APIs.
• Memory (AI agents) — Persistent state that lets an AI agent retain information across turns or sessions.