AI / Agentic AI Interview Questions
What is the difference between Agentic AI and a traditional chatbot?
| Traditional chatbot | Agentic AI |
| Responds once per user turn | Operates autonomously across multiple steps toward a goal |
| No inherent tool use beyond generating text | Calls tools, APIs, and executes actions in the real world |
| Requires a new user prompt to continue | Continues a plan-act-observe-adapt loop until the task is done or blocked |
| Limited or no persistent memory across sessions by default | Often designed with short-term and long-term memory for context over time |
The key distinction isn't the underlying language model, it's the loop, a chatbot waits for the next instruction, while an agent decides its own next step based on the outcome of its previous action.
What is the key distinguishing factor between a chatbot and an agent?
Does a traditional chatbot typically call external tools on its own?
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