Agents, Sessions, and messages

What is an Agent?

An Agent is a configured AI application that combines model behavior, instructions, enabled capabilities, access settings, and optional linked resources. An Agent can support a direct question, multi-step analysis, or a report workflow according to its configuration. “Deep analysis” describes work that can involve multiple retrieval, query, reasoning, and output steps; it is not a separate guarantee that every Agent performs the same sequence.

A Session is the conversation container for one Agent. A message is one user request, assistant response, clarification, or related execution content inside that Session. These objects separate reusable configuration from a particular conversation and from the individual turns within it.

The distinction matters when reviewing access, history, and an answer's visible workflow. Changing an Agent can affect later Sessions without rewriting an earlier message. Deleting a Session does not delete the Agent. Access to a shared Agent does not imply permission to send messages in every Session or to use every linked source.

Opening an Agent or selecting New Session prepares an empty view; it does not create a persisted Session. The first non-empty submitted question creates it. A streamed assistant response can contain multiple blocks and still represent one answer message. Visible execution information can help explain a run, but it is not proof that every internal process is shown or correct.

How the objects relate

• An Agent stores model behavior, instructions, enabled capabilities, and optional linked resources.
• A Session groups a sequence of user and assistant messages for one Agent.
• A message is one user request, assistant response, clarification, or related execution content in that Session.

Example

A finance Agent can be configured with a Dataset and document resources. A user starts a Session with a variance question, responds to a clarification, and receives an answer message with the supporting artifacts that the workflow produced.

Limitations and edge cases

Deleting a Session is not the same as deleting its Agent. Access to a shared Agent also does not imply permission to send messages in every Session.

• Linked resources can be unavailable because of state, compatibility, or permission.
• Not every response contains citations, charts, files, or visible execution details.
• Agent instructions guide behavior but do not guarantee a correct result.

Related concepts

• How an answer is produced
• Evidence and citations
• Business Context
• Evaluation lifecycle