AI Agent.

An AI agent is a piece of software that uses AI to carry out tasks on its own. Think of it as a digital team member that handles repetitive work — reading emails, updating records, sending follow-ups, connecting systems — without needing a human to walk it through each step.

The key word is autonomous. A traditional automation runs a fixed sequence ("when X happens, do Y"). An AI agent decides what to do based on context. When an enquiry arrives, the agent reads it, classifies it (table booking, group enquiry, supplier reach-out, complaint), and takes the right action — book the table, escalate the group enquiry, file the supplier reach-out, flag the complaint for human review.

Agents work because of LLMs (large language models). The LLM is the "brain"; the agent gives it tools — API access to your email, calendar, CRM, accounting system — and a goal ("handle incoming enquiries"). The agent uses the LLM to decide which tools to use, in which order, to achieve the goal.

For UK SMBs, the work that's worth automating with agents tends to be: high-volume, mechanical, but with enough variation that simple rules break. Enquiry triage. Invoice matching. Quote follow-up. Document extraction. Each of these is a 1-2 hour daily admin task that compounds across the team and the year — and disappears into an agent that runs 24/7.