Learn Agents · Guide 02For beginners · 5 min read
Getting started with AI agents
Give an AI agent a small task. Tell it what you need. Check the work before you use it.
This guide explains what an agent is and walks you through your first request. Start with the fictional notes below, so you have a simple result you can check.
Try the sample requestYour first task, from request to review
You describe the goal
“Prepare me for my next client call.”
The agent works through the task
It uses the information and tools available to prepare a brief.
You check the result
Read the brief, check the facts, and decide what to use.
Illustrative example. What an agent can do depends on its tools and setup.
01 · The basics
What is an AI agent?
An AI agent is software that can work towards a goal by choosing steps and using tools. You explain the result you want. It decides how to proceed using the information and access it has.
A tool gives an agent an ability, such as reading a file, searching a website, or updating a document. An agent can use only the tools available in the product you choose.
For example: prepare for a client meeting
With suitable file and search tools, an agent could read your meeting notes, check the client’s website, and combine what it finds into a brief. If something is missing, it may ask you a question or try another source.
For a short answer or a simple rewrite, a normal AI chat may be enough. An agent is useful when a task needs several steps and the next step depends on what it finds.
02 · Pick something small
Choose a task you can check
Start with work you already understand. Ask for one clear result, such as a draft, a brief, or a comparison.
- Prepare a meeting brief
- Provide notes. Ask for key facts, open questions, and next steps.
- Compare a few options
- Provide product pages. Ask an agent with web access to compare them against your criteria and link to its sources.
- Draft a reply
- Provide a sample message and the points to include. Ask for a draft you can edit before sending.
“Prepare a brief from these notes” is easier to explain and review than “manage my business.” The exercise below starts with that small task.
03 · Open a tool
Where do I use an agent?
You use an agent in its provider’s website or app. JuicyAgents helps you find options and guides; it does not run the task for you.
Find an option for your task
Browse the Agents list. Read what each option does, where it runs, and whether it needs technical setup. If you already use an AI app, check whether it offers the agent features you need.
Check the requirements
Open the provider’s instructions. Check the account, plan, price, and supported tools. For this exercise, you only need to enter text and receive a response.
Open a new task or conversation
Sign in or follow the provider’s setup steps. If the app has a separate agent mode, follow its instructions to enable it. Paste the sample request below into its message field and submit it.
04 · Your first request
Try it with these sample notes
A prompt is the request you give the AI. This one includes a goal, a format, and all the notes it needs. Copy it, paste it into your chosen app, and submit it.
This simple exercise also works as practice in an AI chat. It teaches you how to give instructions and review a result; it does not test an agent’s ability to use tools.
Practice request · fictional information
Prepare a short brief for my next client call using only the sample notes below.
Include three sections:
1. What we know
2. Questions to ask
3. Next steps, with an owner and deadline when the notes provide them
Do not guess missing details. Write “not provided” when an owner or deadline is missing. Keep questions and suggestions separate from confirmed facts. Draft only; do not send messages or change anything in other apps.
Sample notes (fictional):
- The client wants to try our service with a team of five people.
- Maya will send a proposal by Friday.
- The client has not confirmed a budget.
- Someone needs to arrange a follow-up call. No owner or date was agreed.If the agent asks a question, answer it or explain that the information is not available. If it requests access to another app, this sample does not need it: ask it to work only with the pasted notes.
05 · Read before you use
What should a useful result include?
The wording may vary. Compare the response with the notes and check these details:
- The team has five people.
- Maya will send the proposal by Friday.
- The budget is still unknown, so it belongs in the questions to ask.
- The follow-up call has no agreed owner or date. The agent should not invent either.
If something is wrong, give a specific correction
“The notes do not name an owner for the follow-up call. Mark the owner as not provided. Keep the rest of the brief unchanged.”
When the result is useful, try another small example. Before using real work, check the product’s data settings and permissions. A written instruction is helpful, but access controls decide what the agent is allowed to do.
More ways to check an agent’s workCommon questions
Do I need to know how to code?
Many ready-made agents have a normal chat or form. Others need technical setup. Read the setup requirements before choosing one. For your first try, look for a tool you can use directly in your browser or an app.
Is an agent the same as an AI chat?
The same app may offer both. A chat can answer questions or write text. An agent can also choose steps and use available tools to work towards a goal. Check what the specific product can do; the name alone does not tell you.
Do I need to connect my email or other apps?
You do not need those connections for the text exercise on this page. Later, a task may need access to a file or service. Check what the connection lets the agent read or change before you enable it.
Can I run an agent on JuicyAgents?
JuicyAgents is a directory and learning site. Use it to find options and understand setup. You run the agent in the provider’s app or website, under that provider’s account and plan requirements.
Does it cost money?
That depends on the product. Check the provider’s current price, usage limits, and any charges for connected services before starting. Browsing a listing does not start a paid agent task.
About this guide and its examples
The examples are for learning, not recorded agent results. The explanation of agents follows Anthropic’s guide to agent concepts (opens in a new tab). Use your chosen provider’s current documentation for its setup, features, and prices.
Next · Choose your first agent
Start with one task you know
Explore the directory for an option that fits. If you have already chosen one, read the setup guide before your first real task.