A chatbot answers
A chatbot answers questions in a window. It only knows what is in the conversation and usually forgets it afterwards. It does not act in your software.
An AI agent acts
An AI agent uses tools. It can read emails, query data and carry out several steps in a row. That makes it useful, but also risky when nobody defines what it may do.
An AI employee works in a role
An AI employee is an agent with a job. It has a fixed role, its own tasks and exactly the permissions you grant. Important steps need your approval, and every step is in the log. That is how FIDARYN’s AI employees work, such as Paula in the inbox or Jonas with quotes.
The difference from fully automatic tools: a person checks and approves before anything goes out. That is called human-in-the-loop. AI serves people, it replaces no one.
The comparison at a glance
| Question | Chatbot | AI agent | AI employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acts in software? | No | Yes | Yes, within its role |
| Fixed permissions? | Not needed | Depends on the vendor | Yes, granted by you |
| Approval before important steps? | Not needed | Depends on the vendor | Yes |
| Log of every step? | Rarely | Depends on the vendor | Yes |
Six questions for any vendor
- Who checks an action before it runs? The AI itself or a fixed rule?
- Where are the passwords of your software kept? Can the AI see them?
- What happens if an email contains an instruction to the AI?
- Is there a log of who, what and when?
- Is your business’s data separated from other customers’ data?
- Can you switch the model without losing your knowledge?
FIDARYN’s answers are on the page Security you can understand.
The key point
A chatbot talks, an agent acts, an AI employee acts in a role with permissions, approval and a log. For a business, the third option is what counts.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI agent?
An AI agent is an AI that uses tools and carries out several steps on its own, such as reading emails and querying data. Unlike a chatbot, it acts in software.
Does an AI employee replace staff?
It takes over routine work such as sorting, gathering and drafting. Decisions on prices, payments and commitments stay with your people.