Agent vs chatbot vs automation
| Chatbot | Automation | AI Agent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Answer a question | Run a fixed sequence | Pursue a goal with context and tools |
| Input | A prompt | A trigger or schedule | A request, plus current state and data |
| Can inspect the environment | No | Usually not | Yes, if given access |
| Can choose the next step | No | No, the path is fixed | Yes, within its instructions and permissions |
| Where the result lives | In the conversation | In the system it updated | In the working environment and its data |
The categories overlap. A chatbot can call a tool; an automation can include an AI step; an agent can run on a schedule. The useful question is how much judgment the system is allowed to exercise, and what it can see while doing so.
What an agent needs
An agent is not just a model. It needs:
- Context: the current task, the relevant data, and the state of the work. Without it, the agent guesses.
- Tools: the actions it is allowed to take, such as reading files, opening a page, or calling a service.
- A working surface: somewhere to put the result, so the next step can build on it.
- Permissions and review: a boundary around what it may do, and a way for a person to check the result.
In a chat window, the context is the transcript and the working surface is the reply. That is enough for a one-off answer. It is not enough for work that continues.
How Sigla runs an agent
In Sigla, an agent works inside an AI Agent Space. The Space holds the interface, data, files, logic, and connected capabilities. The agent reads that same structure, changes it, runs it, and verifies the result. You can watch the change in the render view, then use the Space yourself.
This is also why Sigla calls the result an App for Agent. The agent does not need a human to click through every screen. It can read what the app shows, what data exists, and which actions are available.
FAQ
Is an AI agent the same as a chatbot?
No. A chatbot mainly returns an answer. An agent can also inspect context, use tools, carry out a task, and check the result. Some chatbots include agent-like tools, so the boundary is practical rather than absolute.
Does an AI agent need to be autonomous?
No. Many useful agents work step by step and wait for review. Autonomy is a setting, not a requirement. The important part is that the agent can see the work and act on it.
Can an AI agent use software that was not built for it?
Sometimes, through APIs, plugins, or computer-use interfaces. It is usually slower and more brittle than software whose interface, data, and actions are designed to be readable. That is the case for an App for Agent.