{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "surface_type": "guide_answer",
  "guide_id": "what-is-an-ai-agent",
  "question": "What is an AI agent and what are its main cost components?",
  "canonical_url": "https://www.unitcostai.com/guides/what-is-an-ai-agent",
  "related_tool_url": "https://www.unitcostai.com/tools/ai-workflow-cost",
  "formula": "cost_per_workflow = generation + retrieval + reranking + vector_db + cache + infra",
  "assumptions": [
    "Only model the steps that actually execute in production",
    "Current calculators explicitly model generation, retrieval, reranking, vector, cache, and general infra costs",
    "Provider-specific tool-call, search, memory, or session-fee lines are not first-class calculator rows today"
  ],
  "example": "If generation is 0.024, retrieval is 0.002, reranking is 0.001, vector_db is 0.001, cache is -0.003, and infra is 0.002, cost_per_workflow is 0.027."
}