# How AI Agents Work

## Slide 1

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
01 / 10
A BEGINNER FIELD GUIDE
Give AI a job.
Keep the judgment.
How agents turn a clear goal
into work you can use.
YOU
Set the goal
YOUR AGENT
Work through
the steps
You choose the access.
You decide what is ready.
For your day, your work, or a small service.


## Slide 2

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
02 / 10
Start with
a clear job.
Try: three posts for your business.
RESULT
Three short posts I can review.
CONTEXT
Use my approved facts and examples.
LIMITS
Draft only. Ask before sharing.
DONE MEANS
Every claim has a source.
Choose a task you know how to check.


## Slide 3

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
03 / 10
An agent works
in a loop.
It can take a step, finish, or ask you.
1
Choose the
next step
2
Run an
allowed tool
3
Observe
the result
Repeat with
new results.
FINISH, PAUSE, OR ASK YOU
Stop when done, blocked, or at a limit.
Ask before actions needing your approval.


## Slide 4

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
04 / 10
The harness
runs the work.
The software around the model coordinates
context, tool use, and progress.
HARNESS
Model
Proposes the
next step.
Context
Brief, files,
prior results.
Tools
Run allowed
actions.
A good setup manages:
Permissions • Progress • Checks
Time and cost limits • Stop rules
Some harnesses are built into apps.
Others are custom systems.


## Slide 5

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
05 / 10
Give it access.
Add know-how.
Tools
Browser or app actions:
read, click, type, save.
Skills
Reusable instructions
for doing a task.
MCP
One standard for connecting
AI apps to tools and data.
PLUGIN
A package that may bundle
skills, tools, and connections.
Add only what the task needs.


## Slide 6

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
06 / 10
Know what you
are paying for.
INFERENCE
The trained model runs on
your current input to produce an output.
TOKENS
Small units the model processes:
words, parts of words, or punctuation.
Long context and repeated steps can add cost.
Set a budget. Track cost per useful result.


## Slide 7

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
07 / 10
Try a real
workflow.
Turn one client interview into three posts.
1
Read the approved notes.
AI
2
Draft posts with source links.
AI
3
Review facts, tone, and consent.
YOU
4
Publish only after approval.
TOOL
5
Check the live result.
YOU + AI


## Slide 8

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
08 / 10
Give helpers
clear handoffs.
Subagents handle smaller jobs.
A handoff passes responsibility to another agent.
ONE SHARED BRIEF
Goal + sources + limits + definition of done
Researcher
Find and cite
useful facts.
Writer
Build a draft
from the facts.
Checker
Flag gaps and
uncertainty.
Pass the brief, sources, progress,
and next action with the work.
You still verify important results.


## Slide 9

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
09 / 10
Start with the
work you do.
GENERAL ASSISTANT
Plan your week. Summarize meeting notes.
BROWSER AGENT
Collect site details. Work through forms.
CODING AGENT
Change a website. Run checks on the change.
WORKFLOW AUTOMATION
Repeat agreed steps on a schedule.
Use a tool you already have.
Begin with one task you can check.


## Slide 10

WEALTH EXPERIMENT
HOW AI AGENTS WORK
10 / 10
Make one task
repeatable.
COPY THIS BRIEF
Help me create [result].
Use [approved sources].
You may [allowed actions].
Pause before [approval point].
Finished means [checks passed].
Build the skill. Then offer a small service
you can deliver and verify reliably.
TRY THE FREE LESSON + WORKBOOK
wealthexperiment.live/
agent-side-hustle/