Agents & Agentic AI
Agent state
The current information describing what an agent knows, has done, and plans to do.
Example
An agent's record shows which step is active, which tools ran, and what remains.
Why it matters
It helps a process continue without losing track of completed and pending work.
You'll hear it
“The record says the message was sent; don't send it again.”
Can you control it?
Sometimes
Sometimes. Some products or workflows let you influence agent state, while others keep it fixed or manage it automatically. Check the settings and documentation for the tool you are using.
Common questions
- Can the state disagree with the real world?
- Yes. An action may succeed while its record fails to update, or the reverse.
- Does it have to be visible to an everyday user?
- Not always. Some systems keep these details inside their supporting software.
- Can stale state cause duplicate actions?
- Yes. A system may repeat a completed step if its record still shows it as unfinished.