AI & Agentforce
AI interview: when should you use an agent?
Practice choosing between an agent, deterministic automation, and a combined approach.
By Vishal Verma · Reviewed October 5, 2026
Scenario
A customer wants AI to read an email, identify requested parts, check availability, and create a draft quote. Why use an agent rather than only Flow?
Structure your answer
- Separate language interpretation from deterministic business processing.
- Use AI where the email varies in wording or requires clarification.
- Use approved queries and APIs for part matching, prices, and stock. Do not let the model invent these values.
- Keep validation, access control, and required approvals in the workflow.
- Create a draft for review when confidence or business risk requires a person.
- Measure extraction accuracy, draft acceptance, processing time, and rework against the baseline.
If the inputs are already structured and the rules are stable, deterministic automation may be sufficient. An agent adds value when flexible language understanding and interaction are genuinely needed.