Glossary

What is agentic AI? A short glossary

Plain-language definitions for terms that come up when people talk about agentic AI. Written for anyone curious — no prior background assumed.

Agent

A software system that takes actions towards a goal, often using AI models to decide what to do next.

Tool use

When an agent calls external functions, APIs, or scripts to gather information or take actions.

Context window

The amount of text or data an AI model can consider at once when producing a response.

Guardrail

A rule, filter, or check that constrains what an agent is allowed to do or say.

Human-in-the-loop

A workflow where a person reviews or approves an agent's important actions before they take effect.

Evaluation

Structured tests that measure how well an agent performs on specific tasks, including where it fails.