Understanding AI Agents: What They Are and Why They Matter
What is an AI agent — and why does it matter? Through live demonstration and discussion, this 4-hour session shows the shift from chatbots to autonomous AI assistants. No hands-on setup required.
You have heard the term ‘AI agents’. But what does it actually mean — and should it concern you, excite you, or both?
This 4-hour session answers those questions clearly and without hype. We start with the fundamental shift that agents represent: from AI that responds to questions to AI that pursues goals. Through live demonstrations, you will see this difference in action — and understand what it means for how work gets done.
The session is deliberately observational rather than deeply hands-on. You will watch, discuss, and reflect rather than build or configure. The goal is a clear mental model you can take back to your organisation: what agents can do, what they cannot yet do reliably, and where they are most likely to affect your role in the next two to three years.
We will also discuss governance: who is responsible when an AI agent makes a decision? How do you maintain oversight? These questions sit at the intersection of AI governance and everyday management and matter to everyone, regardless of technical background.
No prior knowledge of AI is required. Curiosity is the only prerequisite.
- ■Explain the difference between a chatbot and an autonomous AI agent in plain language
- ■Describe the key components of an AI agent (model, loop, tools, context)
- ■Identify two or three workplace scenarios where agentic AI could realistically be applied
- ■Outline the basic governance questions that arise when AI acts on behalf of a person or organisation
- 01From chatbots to agents: the fundamental shift in AI capability
- 02How an AI agent works: observation, planning, action, and iteration
- 03Live demonstration: an agent completing a real multi-step professional task
- 04What this means for your role and your organisation
- 05Governance and oversight: who is responsible when AI acts autonomously?
Open-enrolment editions are organised and booked through the Digital Learning Hub. If an Enrol via DLH link no longer opens, that edition has sold out (DLH takes full editions offline) — contact me or DLH for the next date, or request an in-company session.