🧠AI vs Bot vs Agent — What’s the Difference, Really?
Most people use the term "AI" loosely — thinking of it as one big magical system that answers everything.
But in reality, there’s a layered difference between AI, Bot, and Agent — and understanding this distinction is essential, especially if you're working with tools like Power Platform, Power BI, Power Automate, or building Copilot-style solutions.
🤖 Understanding the Layers
| Concept | Role | Example | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI | General-purpose language engine | ChatGPT, Copilot | Answers broad questions without domain focus |
| Bot | AI + Domain knowledge | Audit Bot trained on SOPs | Answers audit-specific queries with context |
| Agent | Bot + Real-world actions | Audit Agent triggering escalations | Performs actions like notifying or escalating |
đź’ˇ Key Differences Simplified
- AI is just the brain. It understands and responds but doesn’t act or know your domain.
- Bot is brain + memory. It understands your SOPs, workflows, or business rules.
- Agent is brain + memory + muscle. It performs actions like escalations, updates, or logging.
⚙️ Real-world Example (From Audit World)
Let’s say you have thousands of audit issues logged in a SharePoint list:
- AI can explain what an audit observation means.
- Bot can classify observations based on your audit standards.
- Agent can scan unresolved issues and send escalation emails via Power Automate.
🧩 Why This Matters
This layered view helps you:
- Design smarter workflows
- Use AI responsibly with control and context
- Train teams to think in terms of AI → Bot → Agent
🚀 Power Platform = Your AI Deployment Toolkit
Combine these Microsoft tools to bring your automation to life:
- Power Apps — for interfaces
- Power BI — for data models and DAX logic
- Power Automate — for action-based triggers
- SharePoint or Dataverse — for business data
- Copilot & AI Builder — for intelligence
Not everything that sounds like AI is AI. Sometimes it's just a well-trained bot. Sometimes it's an agent quietly doing the heavy lifting.
Your automation is only as smart as your understanding of these layers.
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If you’re into Power BI, DAX, Excel, Power Apps, and automation using Power Platform — this blog is for you.
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