Agents vs Workflows

A workflow is a fixed sequence of steps. An agent decides what to do at each step. Both have their place.

If the steps are always the same — use a workflow. If the steps depend on what the agent finds — use an agent.

Three trade-offs

• Workflows are predictable — agents are flexible
• Workflows are cheaper — agents use more tokens
• Workflows are easier to debug — agents are harder

The big idea: Pick the right tool. Workflows for routine. Agents for novel.

Practice this safely

Try this with a school, hobby, or family example where the stakes are low. Use the AI output as a draft you can question, not as the final answer.

1. 1Ask AI to explain workflow in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "Agents vs Workflows" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check flow chart against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.