# Agent

**Status:** revised (Phase IV–VI)  
**See also:** H9, RQ8, `research/ai-agents/agent-architecture-crosswalk.md`

## Working definition

An **Agent** is an artificial entity or component primarily derived from functional
purpose.

Defining question: **What should this entity be able to do?**

| Kind | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Functional Agent | Task/tool/orchestrator loops |
| Autonomous Agent | Closer to autonomous individuality literature |

## Notes

- May be a component of a Being, or become a Being if axes + continuity hold.
- **Provenance/construction descriptor**, not exclusive ontological species (H9).
- Most LLM “agents” are Functional Agents or APEs, not Beings (Phase IV).