🤖 Chatbots vs AI Agents: What’s the Real Difference?

In this short, Microsoft Research leader Ece Kamar breaks down what truly separates traditional chatbots from autonomous AI agents. She explains how chatbots passively wait for your questions and only generate language—while agents can take a goal, reason about the steps required, act in the world, observe the impact of their actions, and continuously decide what to do next. It’s a clear, concise primer on why agents represent a much more powerful and dynamic wave of AI. Ece Kamar is the Managing Director of the AI Frontiers Lab at Microsoft Research, where she works at the cutting edge of responsible, human-centered AI. Her research focuses on building AI systems that can reason, act, and collaborate safely with people—bridging the gap between today’s large language models and tomorrow’s truly intelligent agents. 📺 Full episode: https://youtu.be/Cw5TOp53-5k 🎧 Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2234096/episodes/18153823 #startuptoexit #AI #AIAgents #chatbots #artificialintelligence #futureofAI #machinelearning #agenticAI #MicrosoftResearch #responsibleAI #technology #innovation #founderstory #techleaders