Chatbots, RAG and agents: what does your business need?

A chatbot provides the conversation

A chatbot lets people exchange messages. It may follow a defined path or use a model to interpret questions and prepare answers. The conversation itself does not tell you which information is available or whether the system can make changes elsewhere.

If the task is to guide a visitor through known options, a simple flow may be enough. First ask what the conversation must achieve and when a person needs to get involved.

RAG brings retrieved information into the answer

RAG stands for retrieval-augmented generation. The application searches connected sources for relevant material and supplies it to the model when preparing an answer. This is one way to work with procedures, manuals or policies approved by your business.

The design needs to address permissions, versions, references and questions the sources cannot answer. Retrieving a document does not guarantee a correct interpretation. Evaluate both the search results and the answer, including its citations.

An agent can use tools

An agent can select steps and use tools within a defined workflow. It might look up a record, gather information and prepare a proposed action. Access to each tool determines what it can attempt to do.

A fixed sequence of steps may be handled by conventional automation. An agent’s flexibility should meet a specific need and justify the additional work of evaluation, monitoring and exception handling.

Choose based on the result you need

If you need to guide people through options, begin with the conversation flow. If you need answers based on documents, assess retrieval and source quality. If the work involves coordinating actions, map the process first and mark the approval points.

Define what happens when information is insufficient, sources conflict or a tool fails. The application needs a way to stop, ask for clarification or hand over the case with useful context.

A checklist for comparing proposals

• Which task must the user complete?
• Which sources may each user consult?
• How are references shown and checked?
• Which tools may the application use?
• Which actions require human approval?
• How are exceptions recorded and handled?
• Which examples will evaluate the result?

I can help define a knowledge assistant or an agent workflow around the task. To review your situation, discuss your project with me.

Your next step may be choosing a first task for a pilot or preparing the assistant’s sources.