The process is the real architecture
An AI agent is not a standalone product promise. It is one component in a business process: it reads information, proposes steps, or executes clearly bounded actions.
A robust initiative therefore starts with process boundaries, data sources, and the decisions that remain under human responsibility, not with model selection.
- Which inputs are authoritative and current?
- Which action may the system execute?
- Where is human approval required?
- How is every step logged and reviewed?
Purposeful data access, not unlimited access
Good results come from suitable, maintained, access-controlled data products rather than from maximising data volume. Search indexes, APIs, and operational systems need clear owners and quality rules.
The AI layer must respect those boundaries. Roles, citations, and technical policies belong in the architecture rather than a later compliance checklist.
Start small and think operationally
A good starting point is a bounded process with visible manual effort and reviewable outcomes. Monitoring, error paths, and a way to stop the system should exist from the first release.