This document provides clarity on the distinct and powerful value propositions for each AI capability within Tines. For example: Why use Workbench when you have Chat Agents? When should you use Workbench or Story copilot?
Workbench
A Tines-powered AI chat interface where you can take action and access proprietary information in real-time, privately and securely. Workbench is like your ChatGPT or Gemini scoped to the available data and workflows in Tines.
Use cases
Looking up and editing data in a system (i.e. Salesforce)
Work on an incident or ticket request for your team
Analyze & Block IPs, domains, URLs
Generalized AI help such as content creation, formatting, suggesting next steps
Read our introduction to Workbench here.
AI Agent action
One of the eight actions in Tines. It operates within the context of a story or flow that interacts with LLMs and the data associated within that specific flow. This includes task and chat mode (human-in-the-loop).
Use cases
A chat for ticket management and inbound requests to route to the correct story
An agent that triages incidents then routes them to the right story
Summarizing data into the right case format
Suggesting next steps or recommended actions for a case
Executing next steps or actions based on the story and prompt permissions
Read our introduction to AI Agents here.
When to use AI Agent chat or task mode
AI Agent chat is applicable when you want to create a chat experience to initiate the agent. They are great for situations that benefit from a back-and-forth conversation. AI Agent task gives the agent autonomy to move based on the defined input. They are for more straightforward actions that don’t need user input.
Story copilot
An AI-chat interface in the storyboard to help you build, manage, or optimize the flows on that storyboard.
Use cases
Getting a story outline on the storyboard
Configuring action descriptions
Debugging a Story
Configuring new action templates or tools
Updating credentials
Read our introduction to Story copilot here.
Comparisons
Workbench vs. AI Agent chat
Workbench can be used by people with access to the Tines tenant. It’s not scoped to a specific flow or storyboard. Users of Workbench need to be a member of your Tines’ tenant. Agent chat is limited in scope and has a defined set of permissions. However, people outside of your tenant can engage in an agent chat.
A simple way to view it:
Workbench helps you in the work going through tasks.
Agent chat is specific to a task and scope of work.
Workbench vs. Story copilot
Workbench is best used for tasks other than story building because it lacks the innate context of your specific story. Story copilot is an AI-powered chat interface to build, understand, and optimize flows.
A simple way to view it:
Workbench helps you do your non story building work.
Story copilot helps you build, which includes optimizing, managing, and understanding.
Story copilot vs AI Agents
Story copilot is an AI chat interface in the storyboard to help you build, manage, or optimize flows. AI Agents are an individual action within a flow that performs tasks or engages in end-user chat interactions.
A simple way to view it:
Story copilot helps you design and optimize the entire flow on the storyboard.
AI Agents are a functional part of the flow, performing tasks or engaging in conversation with customers