Software that combines a language model with business information and rules to understand messages and take actions — answer, qualify, book, escalate — within defined boundaries.
“AI agent” is the broad, heavily-marketed term; “intelligent agent” and “AI employee” are the business-shaped versions. The test that separates a real agent from a script: what does it do when it doesn't know the answer? A script dead-ends; an agent asks or escalates.
Agents are only as good as their grounding — the business information they're wired to. That grounding is the real work of configuration, and the reason the same model performs differently for different businesses.
On WhatsApp, an agent typically answers enquiries, qualifies leads, captures details, books where supported, and hands over to a human with context.
The South African market is full of “AI agent” labels. The test from this glossary is the filter: what happens when it doesn't know? Scripts dead-end; grounded agents ask or escalate. One question separates most vendors quickly.