The term covers a broad range of systems. Some choose among tools and revise their approach based on results; others follow tightly constrained workflows.
A practical example
A research agent might search, open sources and prepare a draft. Sending or publishing that draft can be a separate step requiring approval.
What to remember
Ask which actions the system can actually perform, what permissions it has and where human review occurs. The label alone tells you little about its autonomy.
Put it into practice
Use the answer-checking guide to keep evidence and uncertainty visible when working with AI.