What Are AI Agents and Where Should You Exercise Caution?

The Difference

Standard Use: You ask, the model responds. An error is an incorrect sentence.

Agent: The model decides independently which tools to use, calls them, evaluates the results, and proceeds. An error is an incorrect action.

Where It Makes Sense

• Compiling information from multiple systems
• Multi-step research in internal documents
• Routine processes with clear boundaries
• Preparing tasks that require human approval

Where Caution Is Required

Everywhere the agent is writing actively: sending emails, modifying datasets, initiating orders, triggering payments.

Rules That Should Apply

Read freely, write restricted. Read-only access is unproblematic. Every modifying action requires strict limits.

Approval for External Impact. Anything leaving the company or involving money must be proposed, not executed.

Own Rights for the Agent. Do not operate with an administrator account. An agent should have fewer permissions than the human it works for.

Complete Logging. Every tool call with timestamp and result.

Limitations. Maximum number of steps to prevent agents from getting stuck in loops and incurring costs.

Honest Assessment

Agents are promising but still young. For tasks with financial or legal consequences, reliability today is insufficient to use them without a review step.