Bot
Also called software bot.
A bot is a program that performs tasks automatically, often in response to a rule, a request, or an event. Some follow simple scripts; others use AI.
Example
A community bot posts the event schedule every Monday from a saved templateA template is a recipe for a Grok Bot, not a clone of someone’s computer or chat.. It follows a rule. It does not need to understand the event the way an AI agentAn AI agent is a system that uses an AI model to choose actions toward a goal, use the tools it has been given, and respond to the results. might.
- Scripted botFollows a fixed rule, like a Monday reminder.
- ChatbotA bot you talk to. It may or may not use AI.
- AI agentChooses or adapts steps toward a goal.
Why it matters
A bot might watch a website, answer messages, or update records. The word alone does not tell you how smart it is or what it is allowed to touch.
Grok BotGrok Bot is xAI’s product for named AI teammates that carry out tasks with tools and a persistent cloud computer shared by the Bots on one account. is a product name. In that product, each Bot is a named AI teammate on the account's shared cloud computerIn Grok Bot, every Bot on an account uses the same cloud computer. Files, browser sessions, and command-line credentials on it are shared.. A general bot can be much simpler: a script that posts a reminder every Monday is also a bot.
Common confusion
A chatbotA chatbot is software that communicates through conversation, from scripted replies to AI assistance and actions. is a bot you talk to. An AI agentAn AI agent is a system that uses an AI model to choose actions toward a goal, use the tools it has been given, and respond to the results. chooses or adapts steps toward a goal, and not every bot does that. A bot is not necessarily a physical robot or a fake account.
Sources
Updated October 1, 2026.