Agents 101:
Decoding AI Agents and Agentic Systems
March 17, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PDT
Online
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About the Session
The conversation around AI is rapidly shifting from generation to action. We are now in the era of "agentic AI"—systems designed not just to answer questions, but to reason, plan, use tools, and autonomously execute complex workflows. But amidst the hype, what exactly constitutes an AI agent?
Join us for a foundational webinar that cuts through the noise to define the architecture of AI agents and agentic systems. In this "Agents 101" session, we will break down what agents are, what they are genuinely capable of today, and equally importantly, what they are not. We will explore the anatomy of an agent—from memory and planning to tool use—and discuss how this paradigm shift will fundamentally change how we approach complex problem-solving in scientific and technical computing. We will discuss some examples of AI agents and agentic systems from many technology companies, and share resources on how to learn more and get started in creating agents. Whatever your profession, this session will provide the conceptual grounding you need for the agentic future and explain why it is important to your work, organization, and field.
Speaker
Jay Boisseau
Advanced Computing Strategist, Google Cloud
Jay Boisseau is an advanced computing strategist at Google, where he manages a strategic initiative to make Google Cloud the best platform for scientific/technical computing and leads the Google Cloud Advanced Computing Community. He is an experienced leader in HPC and advanced computing technologies, with 30 years of experience developing and leading programs in academia and industry. His previous experience includes founding and leading the Texas Advanced Computing Center to global prominence, and providing strategic planning and special projects in HPC at Dell Technologies. Jay also leads the Austin Forum on Technology & Society, founded the Austin AI Alliance, and is the lead founder and owner of Remedy bar in Austin (where he conducts lots of tech meetings and events so it aligns). He earned his doctorate from UT Austin in astronomy, which led him into supercomputing and technologies.
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