AI Agents vs. Chatbots vs. Virtual Assistants: What Makes Them Different?

TL;DR: Chatbots follow scripts to handle simple conversations. Virtual assistants use natural language processing to help users complete tasks. AI agents autonomously make decisions and execute complex workflows with minimal human input. The key differences: Chatbots follow scripts, assistants follow cues, and agents follow objectives.As generative AI becomes more embedded into our everyday lives and workflows, the growing mix of tools and terms can easily blur together. Among the most widely used and commonly confused are AI agents, chatbots, and virtual assistants.