Course 2 - Module 1 - Lesson 1
From one-shot answers to a step-by-step helper with a to-do list
What Makes an Agent an Agent
One answer or a sequence of decisions
A one-shot assistant returns an answer to your request. An agent works toward a goal through a sequence of decisions. It might inspect information, choose a tool, examine the result, and decide whether another action is needed. The sequence is often called an agent loop.
A useful way to describe that loop is plan, act, observe, and revise. Planning proposes a next step. Acting attempts it. Observing checks what actually happened. Revising changes the approach or stops. A plan alone does not show that any work was completed.
Follow a small research job
Imagine a helper finding the accessibility information for three public libraries. It first identifies the official sites, opens each accessibility page, and records supporting links. If one site is unavailable, it should mark that library as unconfirmed rather than invent the missing facilities.
Its to-do list changes as results arrive. A broken link may require finding a new official page. A complete table may end the task. The important distinction is that observations influence the next action, instead of every step being fixed beforehand.
Define the finish before the start
Give the agent a narrow output: three rows with entrance access, source link, and unresolved questions. Set a search limit, such as two attempts per library, so an unavailable page cannot cause endless searching. Specify that the job does not include contacting libraries.
Review the evidence yourself before planning a visit. An agent can organize a search, but it can still misread a page or choose the wrong branch. Success means a checked result within the boundary, not merely a message saying the task is done.
Tiny experiment
Write a four-step loop for finding one library's opening hours. Add a stopping condition for an unavailable official page and specify the final output.
Confidence check
What observation would tell your helper to change its plan rather than repeat the same search?