What is an AI Agent?

An AI agent is a customized AI assistant designed to perform a particular task or follow a specific set of instructions.

A regular AI chat can help with many different topics. An agent is more focused. It may be given a defined role, specialized instructions, reference materials, or tools that help it respond consistently to a particular type of request.

Think of an agent as a specialist

Imagine that a general AI chat is like speaking with a helpful assistant who can support many different tasks. An agent is like speaking with a specialist who has already been briefed on a particular responsibility.

For example:

A general AI chat can help you revise a document.
An accessibility-focused agent can review the document using instructions related to digital accessibility.
A document-analysis agent can focus on summarizing, comparing, or extracting information from uploaded documents.
A policy-focused agent can help you locate and understand relevant guidance.

You still provide a prompt, review the response, and ask follow-up questions. The difference is that the agent begins with additional instructions or resources related to its purpose.

Regular chats and agents

Regular AI chat	AI agent
Designed to assist with many types of tasks	Designed around a particular purpose
You provide the task and context in your prompt	Some instructions and context may already be included
Useful for brainstorming and general questions	Useful for specialized or recurring tasks
May require more detailed instructions from you	May provide more consistent guidance for its intended task

What can an agent include?

Depending on how it was created, an agent may include:

A defined role or purpose
Instructions for how it should respond
A preferred tone or response format
Reference materials or specialized information
Guidance for completing a particular workflow
Suggested prompts to help users begin

For example, an agent designed to help plan meetings might always ask about the meeting’s purpose, participants, length, and desired outcomes before creating an agenda.

Agents in TulaneAI

Tulane AI includes two general types of agents:

Tulane Official Agents

Tulane Official Agents are created or designated by Tulane to assist with specific tasks and resources.

Current Tulane Official Agents include:

Accessibility Agent
Document Analysis Agent
System Prompt Generator
TulaneAI Policy Guide
WaveGuide: TulaneAI Help

Personal Agents

Personal Agents are customized assistants users can create for their own recurring tasks or workflows.

For example, you might create a Personal Agent to:

Help draft communications in a consistent style
Generate workshop or meeting agendas
Review documents using a standard checklist
Brainstorm course activities
Format information according to specific requirements
Guide you through a recurring process

You will learn more about using Tulane Official Agents and creating Personal Agents later in this module.

Agents still require your judgment

An agent may have specialized instructions, but it can still produce inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or biased information.

When using an agent:

Provide clear information about your request
Review the response carefully
Verify important facts
Confirm that the output fits your situation
Follow Tulane policies and guidance
Do not enter information that is not permitted for use in TulaneAI

Key takeaway:
An agent is not a separate type of artificial intelligence. It is an AI assistant that has been customized with a particular role, instructions, or resources to help with a defined task.