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Teaching Idea AI Agent
AI Agent Basics: What's the Difference from a Chatbot?
You keep hearing about AI Agents. Are they just a fancier ChatGPT? One analogy makes it crystal clear.
Chatbot is Google Maps. Agent is Uber.
- Chatbot (ChatGPT, Gemini): Like Google Maps — you ask "how do I get to this restaurant?" and it says "turn left in 100m". But you are the one walking.
- AI Agent (Claude Code, OpenCode): Like calling an Uber — you say "I want to go to this restaurant" and it takes you there directly. No navigating, no walking.
An AI Agent plans, executes, and delivers — you just give it a goal.
How does an AI Agent work?
- Self-planning — tell it "create a lesson plan" and it figures out what resources it needs and how to break the work down
- Uses tools (MCP / Connectors) — can access your Gmail, Google Calendar, NotebookLM, or files on your computer
- Delivers real output — not a block of text, but an actual file, webpage, or worksheet
How teachers can use it
Example 1: News → Worksheet
Give it a news article and ask it to create a worksheet:
You: "This article is about inflation. Create a BAFS worksheet in both Chinese and English, with MC and short questions, including answer key"
Example 2: PDFs → Study Notes
You: "I have 20 PDFs in this folder. Import each one into NotebookLM, generate study notes, save them as markdown files"
Is it safe?
- Start with coding assistants (Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode) — they only work within a folder you specify
- Approve permissions one at a time — every time the Agent wants new access, it asks you
- Don't rush into full Computer Use tools — those give full system access and need experience
Which tool to start with?
| Tool | Works in HK? | Pricing | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenCode | ✅ No VPN needed | Free | ⭐ Easy |
| Claude Code | ✅ Needs VPN | Claude Pro | ⭐⭐ |
| Codex (OpenAI) | ✅ Needs VPN | ChatGPT Plus | ⭐⭐ |
| AntiGravity (Google) | ⚠️ Works but token limited | Free quota | ⭐ Easy |
Bottom line: AI Agents don't replace teachers — they replace busywork. Start small with OpenCode, and you'll quickly see how much time you can save.