Specialized agents overview

Specialized agents in Optimizely Opal are purpose-built AI agents you create that complete a single, well-defined task. They operate in a single-shot model. You provide inputs, the agent runs once, and it returns a result. There is no multi-turn conversation. Each agent can use targeted tools, adjustable reasoning, and defined inputs to finish its task accurately and efficiently. 

See Create specialized agents to get started.

For a visual walkthrough of specialized agents, watch the video overview. 

When to use specialized agents

Use specialized agents when you need to

• Ensure consistent outcomes – Follow predefined logic and configurations to reduce variability and produce reliable, repeatable results.
• Control context – Define inputs, tools, and instructions to clarify what the agent can access and how it behaves.
• Maintain modularity in larger workflows – Reuse agents as components within workflow agents to make multi-step processes easier to manage, debug, and evolve.
• Support single-shot execution – Complete tasks that do not require ongoing context or follow-up; agents do not incorporate new information after execution.
• Accelerate iteration and debugging – Test, tune, and debug single-purpose, stateless agents independently for faster iteration and more stable systems.
• Optimize at a fine-grained level – Experiment with inference settings or prompt variants per agent without affecting the rest of a workflow.

Real-world scenarios

Specialized agents are effective for highly specific tasks. In the following scenarios, Opal executes precise actions based on each agent’s configuration.

SEO keyword research

Marketing and content teams often struggle to conduct comprehensive SEO keyword research, integrate insights into planning in the Optimizely Content Marketing Platform (CMP), and ensure content is optimized for search visibility and performance. This can lead to fragmented workflows, missed opportunities for organic traffic, and less data-driven decision-making.

How specialized agents in Opal help – A keyword research agent can take a topic and return relevant keywords to target, using data from Optimizely Idea Lab and Google Search.

Specific benefits of using this specialized agent

• Streamlined workflows – Integrate keyword research directly into CMP to reduce tool switching.
• Data-driven recommendations – Use real search trends and performance insights to guide keyword selection.
• Improved content planning – Surface keyword opportunities early so teams can prioritize high-impact topics.
• Consistent SEO practices – Standardize the process for discovering and selecting keywords.
• Reduced missed opportunities – Identify high-value keywords that manual research might overlook.
• Enhanced collaboration – Share keyword insights with marketing and content teams in the same platform.
• Optimized content performance – Create content designed to improve rankings and organic traffic.
• Time and cost savings – Automate repetitive research steps and focus on strategy and creation.

Ensure accessibility of a web page

Accessibility can be overlooked in global organizations that manage multiple sites with Optimizely Content Management System (SaaS).

How specialized agents in Opal help – An accessibility-check agent can take a page URL and check compliance against the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Specific benefits of using this specialized agent

• Automated compliance checks – Evaluate pages against current WCAG standards without manual review.
• Consistent accessibility standards – Apply the same criteria across all sites in the organization.
• Reduced risk of non-compliance – Proactively identify gaps that could lead to legal or regulatory issues.
• Improved user experience – Support more inclusive, accessible experiences for all visitors.
• Streamlined workflows – Integrate checks into CMS (SaaS) and Opal to avoid separate tools.
• Actionable insights – Get clear, prioritized recommendations to fix issues.
• Time and resource savings – Decrease manual testing effort and focus on improvements.

Create a test plan

Writing a thorough A/B test plan for experiments in Optimizely Web Experimentation or Optimizely Feature Experimentation can be time-consuming.

How specialized agents in Opal help – A plan-creation agent can turn short inputs into a detailed test plan that follows your template, speeding up planning and standardizing documentation.

Specific benefits of using this specialized agent

• Faster test planning – Generate detailed, structured plans from minimal input.
• Consistent documentation – Use the same template and format across teams and projects.
• Thorough and complete plans – Include hypotheses, goals, success metrics, and rollout strategies.
• Streamlined collaboration – Share and review plans in one place.
• Time and resource savings – Focus on analysis and optimization instead of documentation.
• Scalable experimentation – Standardize and accelerate the planning workflow as teams grow.
• Accelerated cycles – Move faster from planning to execution to iterate sooner.