AI Agent vs. Simple LLM Call: Guidelines for Architectural Choice

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The term 'agent' is often overused in AI application design. A simple LLM call is sufficient when an application requires a single transformation or judgment with predictable output. A workflow architecture is appropriate when multiple steps are needed but the execution order is predetermined by code. An AI agent becomes necessary only when the model itself must dynamically decide the next action based on intermediate results, such as in open-ended investigations.

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