Agents
AI that takes the steps for you, not just the words.
A chatbot answers. An agent gets things done. Give it a goal and it plans the steps, uses tools like web search, files or your apps, checks its results and keeps going until the task is finished. It's still early days, so agents work best on clear tasks, with you checking the important steps.
How it works
- 01You give the agent a goal, like "compare three winter jackets for a 2-year-old under CHF 80".
- 02It plans the steps and uses tools: searching, reading pages, comparing, writing.
- 03It reports back with the result, and asks you before anything important, like buying or sending.
Handing over the gift shopping
There's a difference between asking a friend "what should I get my niece?" and saying "please find three good options under CHF 40, check they're in stock, and send me links". The first gets you an opinion. The second gets the job done. Agents are the second kind of helper: you hand over a task, not just a question.
Where you'll use it
Research done for you
Compare strollers, daycares or holiday rentals and get a neat summary table.
Multi-step admin
Pull last month's numbers, write a short report and draft the email to your accountant.
Trip planning
Find family-friendly hotels, check distances and build a day-by-day plan.
Your nap-time experiment
If your AI app has a research or agent mode, turn it on. If not, a normal chat with web search works too.
Act as my research assistant. Goal: find 3 good winter jackets for a 2-year-old, available in Switzerland, under CHF 80. Steps: 1. Search for options and check prices and sizes. 2. Compare warmth, how easy they are to put on, washability and reviews. 3. Give me a table and your top pick, with one sentence on why. Show me your sources. Don't buy anything.