Understanding AI Agents and N8N Workflows
I'm seeing a lot of people out there getting confused (or even confidently wrong, eg. LinkedIn bros) about the various tools out there for automation, so I thought I would put some thoughts here to refer back to in future.
Chat vs Workflow vs Agent
Essentially, agents have "agency" - they are empowered to do things.
While an LLM processes input and generates output (e.g., drafting an email), it cannot take action. The true power of LLMs emerges when they are exposed to "tools," which are integrations allowing them to perform actions like sending emails or updating CRM records.
AI Workflows vs. AI Agents
- AI Workflows These are linear, sequential processes where steps occur in a predefined order. An example is a HubSpot-triggered workflow that researches a new lead using Perplexity, drafts a personalized email with an LLM, and then sends it via an email tool. Workflows are generally more reliable, cost-efficient, easier to debug, and scalable for deterministic processes.
- AI Agents These possess a "brain" (an LLM with memory) and access to various tools, enabling them to make decisions and act autonomously based on inputs. While an AI agent could perform the same task as the workflow above, it would be more expensive, slower, and prone to errors for predictable processes. AI agents are best suited for unpredictable, non-deterministic tasks where autonomous decision-making is required.
Anatomy of an AI Agent
An AI agent comprises:
- Input The user's query or data.
- Brain Consists of a large language model (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) for decision-making and reasoning, and memory (short-term for current conversation context, and long-term for past interactions).
- Instructions (System Prompt) Defines the agent's role, available tools, and when to use them, acting as its "job description." This remains static unless the agent's role changes, unlike the dynamic "user prompt" (input).
- Tools Integrations the agent can access to perform actions.
- Output The agent's response or action.
AI Skills Are In Demand
Recent research underscores the growing importance of AI:
- 75% of small businesses now use AI tools, with adoption rates highest among companies generating over a million dollars in revenue (86%).
- The median annual AI investment for small businesses is approximately $1,800.
- Businesses are seeing tangible results: marketing ROI up by 22%, customer service response times reduced by 60% (80% resolved without human intervention), and supply chains cutting transportation costs by 5-10%.
- Small businesses using AI report 91% higher revenue growth than non-AI adopters.
- 54% of small and medium businesses plan to increase AI spending this year, and 83% of enterprises prioritize AI literacy in hiring.
- Mastering AI is becoming essential for modern business competitiveness, positioning early adopters at the forefront of transformation.
Workflows in n8n
This is an example n8n workflow that demonstrates the input and initial trigger is a "webhook" (http request) and the output is either google sheets or a slack message. No AI is used here, it is purely a workflow.
N8N users can create new blank workflows and name them, or even import them from a friend or online directory.
Workflows can then be saved in projects and tagged for organization.
- Triggers Every workflow starts with a trigger (manual, event-based like new Telegram message or CRM row, schedule, webhook, form submission, chat message).
- Nodes After a trigger, different types of nodes (action, data transformation, AI) can be linked.
- App Integrations n8n offers numerous native integrations (e.g., Google Drive, Gmail, HubSpot). Connecting to these requires credentials (passwords or API keys).
- Node Structure Every node has an input panel (incoming data), a configuration panel (settings), and an output panel (resulting data).
Who Are The Leaders of Hive?
Hive, a blockchain born of rebellion against centralization, now stands at a crossroads. Its ethos—decentralized, community-driven, and free—is shadowed by a corrosive reality: the unchecked power of entities like @themarkymark and @buildawhale, whose coordinated downvotes and acrimonious tactics have driven creators to despair. This is not governance; it is a tyranny of silence.
The Illusion of Leadership
Hive has no crowned sovereign. Its “leaders” are stewards: developers refining code, witnesses securing consensus, and communities shaping culture. Yet power, as history teaches, consolidates in vacuums. When accounts with vast Hive Power (HP) weaponize downvotes to stifle dissent, they erode the very democracy Hive was built to protect. This is not leadership—it is oligarchy masquerading as order.
The Exodus and the Alternative
Creators flee. Talented voices, weary of punitive curation, migrate to platforms like Blurt, where downvotes are absent and dialogue thrives. Blurt’s rise will be no accident; its simplicity—a sanctuary from Hive’s toxicity—highlights a fatal flaw in our ecosystem. A single change here could tip the scales. Imagine Blurt embraced by investors, listed on centralized exchanges, and fortified by liquidity. It needs only a catalyst.
A Plea for Unity—and Action
We cannot wait. Each downvoted post is a fracture in Hive’s foundation. To stem the exodus, we demand:
Bilpcoin’s Pledge
The Bilpcoin team stands with Hive. We will:
The Hour Is Now
Hive’s promise—a haven for free expression—hangs in the balance. Will we cling to infighting, or rise as a community? The tools for change are ours: blockchain transparency, collective will, and the courage to demand better.
Join us. Audit wallets. Question power. Post fearlessly. Together, we can reclaim Hive’s soul—or watch its light dim as Blurt rises.
The choice is ours. Let it be written in history that we chose wisely.
Hive leadership crisis, decentralized governance reform, Blurt vs Hive, Bilpcoin transparency, blockchain accountability, downvote ethics.
#HiveTransparency #CommunityOverCensorship
@themarkymark @buildawhale & Co
You wield downvotes like a weapon, striking indiscriminately at whoever displeases you, whenever it suits your whim. And why? Why do you call people names as though their humanity is secondary to your ego? Is this how you justify your behavior—to diminish others so they might seem less worthy of fairness? You claim disdain for AI on Hive, yet your inner circle freely employs it without consequence. No downvotes for them, only for those outside your charmed circle. Tell us, why are you so selective in whom you punish and whom you protect?
https://hive.blog/hive/@themarkymark/re-bpcvoter2-swxxng
@themarkymark & Co.,
We are being completely honest here, and you know it. The transactions don’t lie—you cannot escape this, no matter who you bring in to back you up. It won’t work. You’ve already exposed many of those close to you, so let’s be clear: WE ARE NOT TROLLING YOU. WE ARE SIMPLY SHARING THE TRUTH. And the Bilpcoin team is far from stupid. Calling us names changes nothing—it only fuels our determination to work harder.
IT’S OVER.
SPEAK UP. MAKE NOISE. TAKE A STAND.
Key Issues That Demand Immediate Attention:
The problems are glaring, undeniable, and corrosive to the Hive ecosystem. They must be addressed without delay:
These practices do not just harm individual users—they undermine the very foundation of Hive, eroding trust and poisoning the community. Such actions are not only unethical but outright destructive.
@buildawhale Wallet:
@usainvote Wallet:
@buildawhale/wallet | @usainvote/wallet
@ipromote Wallet:
Author Rewards: 2,181.16
Curation Rewards: 4,015.61
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.00
Rewards/Stake Co-efficient (KE): NaN
HIVE: 25,203.749
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.000
Delegated HIVE: 0.000
Estimated Account Value: $6,946.68
Recent Activity:
@leovoter Wallet:
Author Rewards: 194.75
Curation Rewards: 193.88
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.00
Rewards/Stake Co-efficient (KE): 388,632.00 (Suspiciously High)
HIVE: 0.000
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.001
Total: 16.551
Delegated HIVE: +16.550
Recent Activity:
@abide Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@proposalalert Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@stemgeeks Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@theycallmemarky Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@apeminingclub Wallet:
Recent Activity:
Scheduled unstake (power down): ~2.351 HIVE (in 4 days, remaining 7 weeks)
Total Staked HIVE: 1,292.019
Delegated HIVE: +1,261.508
Withdraw vesting from @apeminingclub to @blockheadgames 2.348 HIVE (10 days ago)
Claim rewards: 0.290 HP (10 days ago)
@blockheadgames Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@empoderat Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@gogreenbuddy Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@rollingbones Wallet:
Recent Activity:
The blockchain data tells the story plainly and clearly. We are not fabricating these claims; we are merely presenting what is already visible for all to see. As we’ve repeatedly urged @themarkymark & Co—the solution is simple: STOP.
SO PLEASE STOP. It’s time to do what’s right for Hive and its community. Why cling to practices that harm others? Power down, step away, and let Hive thrive as it was meant to. You bring nothing positive to this ecosystem.
THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING—THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU.
PLEASE STOP.
@themarkymark, Can You Explain Why the Bilpcoin Team’s Accounts Are on Your Blacklist?
@themarkymark We understand you’re a fan of data—so are we. After all, data is king, and when it comes to blockchain, transactions don’t lie and can’t be changed.
@buildawhale’s daily grift
@themarkymark’s 2.4 Hive Power scam farm
For more insights into blockchain transparency and accountability, visit Bilpcoin’s Publish0x page.
https://peakd.com/hive-126152/@bpcvoter1/addressing-concerns-about-hive-s-growth-and-community-dynamics
https://peakd.com/hive-133987/@bpcvoter3/isn-t-it-funny-how-themarkymark-and-co-are-suddenly-talking-about-ke-levels-on-hive-well-look-what-we-found-some-of-the-accounts
https://peakd.com/hive-122609/@bpcvoter3/themarkymark-and-co-imagine-if-all-the-top-witnesses-prioritized-their-mental-health-hive-would-undoubtedly-be-a-better-place
https://peakd.com/hive-178265/@bpcvoter1/how-can-we-take-someone-seriously-when-they-have-been-exposed-through-clear-evidence-blockchain-transactions-and-data-and-then
https://peakd.com/hive-126152/@bpcvoter2/we-agree-it-s-not-a-joke-themarkymark-and-co-your-mental-health-and-the-well-being-of-those-around-you-are-deeply-concerning-to
#bilpcoin we must stop the #buildawhalescam #buildawhalefarm #themarkymarkscam #themarkymarkfarm on #hive #thedarksideofhive
Agent is more intriguing from my prospective, it has more depth and possibilities in future
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