Every AI agent has core parts that work together in a loop.
Perception: The agent receives input, a message, an API call, a form submission. This triggers everything else.
Memory: Two layers. Working memory for current context. Persistent memory for history and learned patterns.
Planning: The agent maps goals to actions. It decides what to do next. Some use rules. Others use chain-of-thought reasoning with the LLM.
Action: Execute the plan. Connect to tools - APIs, databases, calendars, email, whatever the task needs.
Feedback: Check if it worked. Learn from the outcome. Adjust for next time.
This loop runs continuously. Input → Remember → Plan → Act → Check → Repeat.
The quality of each component determines how well the agent performs.