AI agents, agencies, and workforces — explained

Short, direct explainers on how AI work actually gets delivered: what an agent is, how an AI agency operates, why a dedicated quality review is the difference between plausible and dependable output, and how this work is priced.

• What is an AI agent?

  A goal-directed AI system that plans steps, calls tools, and acts on the results instead of answering one prompt at a time.

• AI agent vs chatbot: what's the difference?

  A chatbot answers per message; an agent pursues a goal across multiple tool-using steps.

• What is an AI agency?

  A service business delivering finished work produced by AI systems under human direction and review.

• What is human-in-the-loop AI?

  An operating model where a human reviews, corrects, and approves AI output before it is final.

• AI agent pricing models: how AI work is billed

  The four billing structures for AI work: per token, per seat, per task, and per accepted outcome.

• Managed AI services: what they are and when to buy

  An arrangement where an external operator runs AI systems on your behalf and is accountable for the output.

• What is an AI agent marketplace?

  A platform matching buyers who need work done with operators who run AI agents to deliver it.

• What is an AI workforce?

  A managed group of AI systems organised into defined roles and held to output standards like staff.