Beyond Chatbots—The Rise of the AI Agent

Tue May 05 2026 at 06:15 pm to 07:45 pm UTC-05:00

The Center for Government and Civic Service, ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000 | Austin

The Austin Forum on Technology & Society
Publisher/HostThe Austin Forum on Technology & Society
Beyond Chatbots\u2014The Rise of the AI Agent
Advertisement
Join us in-person on Tuesday, May 5th!
About this Event

**This event will be held in person only.

Chatbots are powerful, but we are not moving past the era of simply "chatting" with Generative AI models to create, analyze, summarize, and transform content. The next frontier has arrived: AI agents, and agentic systems. AI Agents are taking these models to the next level by moving from conversation and generation to action and autonomy. This presentation will explore how agents leverage the reasoning power of LLMs to independently plan, use tools, and execute complex workflows. We are transitioning from AI as a digital assistant to AI as a digital colleague—capable of driving massive leaps in productivity, scientific research, and business innovation.

In this presentation, Austin Forum executive director Jay Boisseau and his expert panelists will cover:

  • The Anatomy of an Agent: Understanding how agents differ from standard LLMs. We will break down the "Agentic Workflow"—how these systems perceive a goal, decompose it into tasks, and use iterative reasoning to complete them without constant human prompting.
  • Autonomy & Productivity: How agentic frameworks enable "autonomous loops," allowing for 24/7 research, automated coding, and complex project management that scales beyond human capacity.
  • The Tooling Landscape: A deep dive into current state-of-the-art agentic tools. We will discuss the impact of platforms like Claude Cowork, which integrates seamlessly into professional environments, and OpenClaw, the open-source movement pushing the boundaries of agentic control.
  • Getting Started: Practical advice for individuals and organizations ready to move beyond the prompt. We’ll cover how to identify "agent-ready" tasks and the best frameworks for deployment.
  • The Future Horizon: A look at the evolving landscape. As agents become more capable, what does a world of "agent-to-agent" communication look like, and how will it reshape the global economy?

These agentic technologies can be used by anyone, and anyone can learn to configure their agents and develop their own systems to greatly enhance their productivity and impact. Join us to learn how to supercharge your work, career, company, and life with agentic AI!



Agenda

​5:15-6:15 p.m. In-person Networking

6:15-7:30 p.m. Presentation

7:30-7:45 p.m. Q&A

​8:00 p.m. Networking


Attendance Instructions

In-person

Join us at The Center for Government and Civic Service, ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000 where you will be checked in at the front. Parking map !

In-person attendees, please join us from 5:15 to 6:15 for networking and snacks. We look forward to chatting with you face-to-face!

Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Center for Government and Civic Service, ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000, 1218 West Avenue, Austin, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Austin

SpiritWorld, Desmadre, Doomsday
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm SpiritWorld, Desmadre, Doomsday

1141 1/2 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX, United States, Texas 78702

Ichiko Aoba
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm Ichiko Aoba

Paramount Theatre - Austin, TX

Delicate Steve
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm Delicate Steve

Antone's Nightclub

Saaniya Abbas
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm Saaniya Abbas

Cap City Comedy Club

Pasta Making With Chef Erin - Pasta Making Cooking Class in Austin | Classpop!\u2122
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm Pasta Making With Chef Erin - Pasta Making Cooking Class in Austin | Classpop!™

WhichCraft Tap Room & Bottle Shop

Cinco de Mayo Cookie Decorating Class
Tue, 05 May at 06:00 pm Cinco de Mayo Cookie Decorating Class

Blue Agave Tex Mex

Taquiza
Tue, 05 May at 06:30 pm Taquiza

Central Market Austin North Lamar

Business Taxes Made Simple - What Every Business Owner Needs to Know
Tue, 05 May at 06:30 pm Business Taxes Made Simple - What Every Business Owner Needs to Know

Economic Growth Business Incubator (EGBI)

WBRE x Unapologetic
Tue, 05 May at 06:30 pm WBRE x Unapologetic

Goodwin & Company

Fishbone at Mohawk - Outdoor
Tue, 05 May at 07:00 pm Fishbone at Mohawk - Outdoor

Mohawk - Outdoor

Infected Mushroom at Come and Take It Live
Tue, 05 May at 07:00 pm Infected Mushroom at Come and Take It Live

Come and Take It Live

Infected Rain at Come and Take It Live
Tue, 05 May Infected Rain at Come and Take It Live

Come and Take It Live

Austin is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Austin Events