By Exemplary AI
Reviewed
Do you need an answer, an action, or both?
For this comparison, an assistant helps you find information or prepare work; an agent can also take agreed actions through connected tools. For example, one can draft a ticket update while the other can submit it after approval. Product names overlap, so ask what the system is actually allowed to do.
Start with helpful answers. Add actions when your team is ready.
Exemplary agents can answer from company documents and use connected tools. We help choose which capabilities to enable, so you can begin with reading and drafting, then add specific actions with the right approvals.
Talk to us about your task- You choose which work should stay with a person.
- We help connect the tools and define allowed actions.
- Your team can review the action history and approve sensitive steps.
What changes for your team?
Scroll across the table to view both approaches.
| What matters | Assistant: help me prepare | Agent: help me carry out the task |
|---|---|---|
| Typical result | An answer, summary or draft. | An answer plus an agreed action in a connected tool. |
| Who does the next step | A person copies, sends or enters the result. | The agent can perform enabled actions, with approval where required. |
| Access needed | The information required to prepare the answer. | Information plus permission to use specific tool actions. |
| What to test | The answer’s usefulness and correctness. | The answer, action, approval behavior and handling of failures. |
When each approach fits.
Assistant: help me prepare
- Your team wants help researching or writing.
- People should carry out every change themselves.
Agent: help me carry out the task
- People repeat the same follow-up actions after getting an answer.
- You can define which actions are allowed and when approval is needed.
Move from drafting a ticket update to submitting an approved one.
This example depends on an enabled connection and permission to update the ticket.
- 01
Prepare the update
Exemplary reads the available ticket information and drafts the change.
- 02
Ask for approval
Your team checks the proposed update before the action is allowed.
- 03
Make the agreed change
The agent uses the connected tool to update the ticket and reports what happened.
You can begin with a small amount of responsibility.
An agent does not need permission to do everything. We help start with one useful task and only the access it needs. More actions can be considered after your team checks the results.
A completed action needs a clear record.
A draft can be edited before use. An action changes something outside the conversation. Exemplary records agent actions, helping your team review what was attempted and what happened.
Questions you might have.
Are assistants and agents completely separate products?
Not always. These labels are used differently across products. The useful distinction is whether the configured system only prepares work or can also take actions.
Can we require approval before a change?
We help define approval steps for the actions in your process. Test those steps with the specific connected tools before using them for live work.
What if an action fails?
Include failed connections and interrupted tasks in the trial. Agree when the agent should retry, stop or ask someone for help.
More about these options
These guides explain how to choose an approach. Examples show how a task could work; they are not customer results. The links below explain the capabilities and background behind this guide.