Start here
Create your first agent by giving it one small job.
An agent is just an assistant that can follow steps, use allowed tools or files, and come back with a result. Start small, keep it safe, and check the work yourself.
The simple idea
A good first agent prepares work. It does not make the final decision.
First agent path
Five steps, no jargon required.
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1
Pick one job
Choose a task you already repeat: prepare notes, draft a brief, compare documents, make a checklist, or summarise something.
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2
Make it tiny
Shrink the task until it can be tested once with low risk. One document, one meeting, one example, one folder.
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3
Give clear instructions
Say what the agent may read, what it should produce, and when it must stop and ask you.
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4
Ask for evidence
Tell the agent to show what it used, what it changed, what it is unsure about, and what you must check.
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5
Review before using
Do not let the first agent send, approve, delete, pay, update, or publish. Look at the work first.
Example first agent
A meeting-prep agent is a safe place to start.
A simple first agent might read one agenda and one safe notes document, then prepare a short briefing for you to review.
Prepare a meeting brief from these notes. Give me the key points, open questions, risks, and anything I should check. Do not send anything or update any system.
That is enough for a first agent. It has a small job, a limited source, a useful output, and a human review point.
Plain meanings
Use ordinary words first.
Agent
An assistant with a job, instructions, allowed material, and a stopping point.
Tool
Something the agent is allowed to use, such as a file, search, calendar, document, or app.
Instruction
The written steps that tell the agent what to do and what not to do.
Evidence
The notes that let you check where the answer came from and whether it is safe to use.
Final question