An agent is a person or entity authorized to act on behalf of another person or organization, known as the principal. This authorization allows the agent to represent the principal in various dealings, make decisions, or perform specific tasks within the scope of their authority
. There are different types of agents based on the extent and nature of their authority:
- Universal agents have broad authority to act on behalf of the principal in all matters, often through power of attorney.
- General agents have authority to act in a specific area or type of transaction over a period of time, such as a talent agent managing an actor's career.
- Special agents are authorized for a single or limited series of transactions, like real estate agents or insurance agents
Agents are commonly used in fields like law (attorneys), finance (stockbrokers), entertainment (talent agents), sports (sports agents), and travel (travel agents), among others
. In the context of artificial intelligence, an agent refers to a system that uses an AI model to interact with its environment to achieve user-defined goals. Such an AI agent combines reasoning, planning, and action execution, often using external tools, to fulfill tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously
. In summary, an agent is essentially a representative empowered to act for another, whether a human acting in legal or business capacities or an AI system acting to accomplish tasks.
