Agent vs workflow: when to use which

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-agentic-ai-ai-agent-vs-workflow-r11a8-teen

1. What is the fundamental difference between an AI agent and a workflow?

   1. An agent makes its own decisions about next steps, while a workflow follows steps that were already written for it
   2. A workflow requires human supervision at each step
   3. A workflow can learn from mistakes but an agent cannot
   4. An agent works faster than any workflow

2. A company needs AI to sort incoming customer emails into the same three folders every single time, with no exceptions. Which approach fits best?

   1. Agent
   2. Workflow
   3. Hybrid system
   4. Neither - this needs a human

3. A student builds an AI that reads a science article and decides whether to summarize it, translate it, or flag it for follow-up reading. What approach is needed?

   1. Simple script
   2. Agent
   3. Workflow
   4. Database lookup

4. Why are workflows generally cheaper to run than agents?

   1. Workflows don't use AI at all
   2. Agents require more computing power to make decisions
   3. Workflows use simpler AI models that cost less per request
   4. Workflows skip steps when not needed

5. You are unsure whether your AI task needs an agent or a workflow. What does the lesson recommend?

   1. Use both at the same time
   2. Start with an agent since it's more powerful
   3. Start with a workflow and upgrade later if needed
   4. Ask a teacher which to use

6. What does it mean for a workflow to have 'fixed steps'?

   1. The steps never change regardless of what happens
   2. The steps are written in stone and can only be edited once a year
   3. The steps are predetermined before the AI runs
   4. The workflow cannot handle unexpected situations

7. A social media manager wants AI to decide whether each post needs a positive, negative, or neutral response based on the comments. What should they build?

   1. Template system
   2. Agent
   3. Neither - this can't be automated
   4. Workflow

8. Why might an agent 'break in ways that are hard to debug'?

   1. Because it makes unexpected decisions that are hard to trace
   2. Because the code is always deleted
   3. Because agents don't produce error messages
   4. Because they use too many GPUs

9. What is a key advantage of workflows when something goes wrong?

   1. Workflows are more fun to build
   2. You can trace exactly which step caused the problem
   3. Workflows never have bugs
   4. Workflows fix themselves automatically

10. A news app summarizes the same type of article every day using the same format. The developer is thinking about using an agent. What advice fits the lesson?

    1. Use an agent because news changes daily
    2. Use a workflow since the task is repetitive
    3. Use an agent to make it smarter
    4. Use a workflow because it sounds boring

11. What does 'autonomy' mean in the context of AI agents?

    1. The ability to work without any electricity
    2. The ability to decide what to do next without being told
    3. The ability to be completely independent of code
    4. The ability to learn from all users automatically

12. An agent costs more and is harder to debug. When is it still worth using one?

    1. When the task requires judgment about what to do next
    2. When the task will never be changed
    3. When you have unlimited budget
    4. When you want the simplest solution possible

13. A teacher grades the same type of quiz by checking each answer against an answer key. What should the AI approach be?

    1. Workflow
    2. Agent
    3. Machine learning model
    4. Database

14. What is the main risk of using an agent for a simple task that could be a workflow?

    1. Unnecessary cost and unpredictable behavior
    2. It will definitely fail
    3. It will be too slow
    4. It will learn wrong things

15. A real estate AI needs to look at each property listing and decide whether to classify it as an apartment, house, or condo. What is the right tool?

    1. Either would work equally well
    2. Workflow
    3. Agent
    4. Neither will work