# When to use AI agents

Not every AI use case requires agents. This guide helps you decide whether to use AI agents or conversational AI for your specific needs.

## When to use conversational AI [#when-to-use-conversational-ai]

Use conversational AI (without AI agent) in the following cases:

- The use case is primarily FAQ or informational.
- The conversation follows predictable patterns.
- The interaction is information-focused without backend operations.
- You need strict control over messaging to meet compliance, legal, and brand voice requirements.
- Regulatory constraints require the system to behave predictably.

In these cases, use one of the following instead of AI agents:

- **For knowledge retrieval**: [Answers chatbots](https://www.infobip.com/docs/answers) with [AI assistant](https://www.infobip.com/docs/ai-hub/ai-assistant).
- **For consistent and predictable automation**: [Rule-based chatbot](https://www.infobip.com/docs/answers/create-chatbot/create-keyword-chatbot) without AI assistant.

**Examples:**
- FAQ chatbot answering product questions
- Store locator providing addresses and hours
- Policy information bot explaining return policies
- Support bot routing users to the right department

## When to use AI agents [#when-to-use-ai-agents]

Use AI agents in the following cases:

- The system needs to perform actions, not just provide information.
- Multiple backend systems need to be coordinated.
- The workflow involves conditional logic that is too complex for rule-based chatbots.
- Multi-step operations require dynamic decision making.
- The system needs to adapt to unexpected scenarios.

**Examples:**
- Booking system that checks availability, reserves appointments, and sends confirmations
- Order management that tracks shipments, processes returns, and updates inventory
- Customer support that retrieves account data, processes refunds, and updates CRM records
- Billing assistant that queries payment history, processes payment updates, and generates invoices

## Next steps

**Ready to build with AI agents?**
- [Set up your account](https://www.infobip.com/docs/ai-agents/get-started/set-up-account) to get started
- [Create your first agent](https://www.infobip.com/docs/ai-agents/get-started/create-first-agent) using a template for quick start
- [Plan your implementation](https://www.infobip.com/docs/ai-agents/planning) to design your agent architecture for production systems

**Want to use conversational AI instead?**
- Explore [Answers chatbots](https://www.infobip.com/docs/answers) for knowledge retrieval and automation
- Learn about [AI assistant](https://www.infobip.com/docs/ai-hub/ai-assistant) for intelligent responses