🕵️ Module 03 · Intermediate
AI Agents & Assistants
A chatbot answers questions. An AI agent takes action. Agents can plan, use tools, browse the web, write code, and complete multi-step tasks — all by themselves. Let's explore how!
Key Concepts
AI Agent
An AI that doesn't just answer questions — it takes steps toward a goal,
makes decisions, and uses tools to complete tasks.
Tools & Actions
Agents can use tools: search the web, run code, send emails, read files.
Each tool extends what they can do.
Goal-Directed
You give an agent a high-level goal ("research this topic and summarise
it"), and it figures out the steps itself.
Plan → Act → Observe
Agents work in a loop: plan a step, take an action, observe the result,
then plan the next step — until done.
Chatbot vs. Agent — What's the Difference?
Regular Chatbot
- Answers questions in one shot
- Responds to what you say
- Doesn't remember past conversations (usually)
- Can't take actions in the real world
AI Agent
- Breaks goals into steps and plans
- Uses tools (web search, code, files)
- Can run for many steps to complete a task
- Takes real actions in the world
Watch & Learn
📺 "What is an AI Agent?" — A clear, beginner-friendly breakdown of what
makes something an AI agent.
⚡ Quick Activity — After Video 1
🤔 Chatbot or Agent?
Read each scenario and decide: is this something a
Chatbot or an AI Agent would do? Tap your answer!
Scenario 1 of 4
💭 "Order me a pizza from my favorite restaurant,
track the delivery, and text me when it’s 5 minutes away."
📺 How AI agents plan, observe, and act — exploring the loop that powers
autonomous AI systems.
⚡ Quick Activity — After Video 2
📋 Put the Agent Steps in Order
A homework helper agent needs to research a topic and write a summary.
Click the steps in the correct order (1 → 4)!
Write a clear summary from the collected notes
Plan: decide to search the web for information on the topic
Observe: check if the summary is accurate, fix any errors
Act: search the web and collect the key facts
Read More
📖 Article
IBM — What are AI Agents?
A clear, thorough explanation of what AI agents are, how they differ from
chatbots, and real-world applications.
Read on IBM →
🎮 Interactive
Machine Learning for Kids
Build your own AI-powered projects using Scratch — chatbots, image
recognition, and more. Perfect for your age!
Build something →
🧪 Try It
Google Teachable Machine
Train your own AI model to recognize images, sounds, or poses — no code
required. One of the most fun AI tools out there!
Train an AI →
Human Oversight is Important
AI agents are powerful, but they can also make mistakes! That's why it's important to always have a human check what an agent is doing, especially for important tasks. Just like you'd double-check a calculator's answer, you should review what an AI agent produces.
Your Challenge
Mission: Design an AI Agent
Map Out Your Own AI Homework Helper!
You don't need to build it yet — just design it! Think of yourself as the engineer planning how this agent would work.
- 1Draw or write out: what is the agent's goal? (e.g., "Help me research a history topic and create a summary.")
- 2List the tools it would need: web search? File writing? Talking to you for clarification?
- 3Describe the steps it would take, one by one (Plan → Act → Observe loop).
- 4What could go wrong? How would you want the agent to handle mistakes?
- 5Share your design with a parent or friend and explain how your agent would work!
Test Your Knowledge
Question 1 of 5