Agents

Agents are intelligent task executors that combine knowledge, tools, and reasoning capabilities to understand user intent and automatically complete assigned tasks. They access knowledge bases as their information foundation and invoke tools as their action mechanisms, enabling them to make informed decisions and execute complex workflows.

Core Components

• Knowledge Access: Agents tap into knowledge bases (documents, databases, real-time data) to inform their decision-making and provide accurate, contextual responses

• Tool Integration: Agents orchestrate multiple tools to perform actions in the real world, from data processing to system integrations

• Reasoning Engine: Agents analyze information, plan steps, and adapt their approach based on context and outcomes

Types of Agents

• Instruction-Based Agents: Agents driven by prompt instructions, suitable for scenarios requiring flexible expression and complex reasoning. They leverage knowledge to provide informed responses and use tools to execute actions. Example: automated report generation with data analysis, intelligent Q&A with knowledge retrieval, content creation with fact-checking.

• Flow-Based Agents: Agents built through visual flow design, suitable for scenarios requiring process control and task decomposition. They systematically access knowledge at decision points and invoke tools at action steps. Example: automated customer service with knowledge lookup, business process automation with data validation.

Capabilities

Agents can:

• Process Information: Understand natural language instructions and extract meaning from complex requests

• Access Knowledge: Query knowledge bases, retrieve relevant information, and synthesize insights from multiple sources

• Execute Actions: Orchestrate multiple tools to accomplish complex, multi-step tasks

• Reason and Decide: Make informed decisions based on available knowledge, context, and real-time data

• Adapt and Learn: Adjust their approach based on outcomes and changing conditions

• Automate Workflows: Transform manual processes into intelligent, automated systems

The synergy between knowledge and tools enables agents to be both informed and capable—they know what to do and have the means to do it.