When would you NOT use an agent? When is a simple RAG pipeline enough?

"If the task is single-turn retrieval + generation — user asks a question, you find the answer in docs — RAG is cheaper, faster, and more predictable. I'd reach for agents only when:

• (1)the task requires multiple steps
• (2)it needs tool use (write operations, calculations, API calls), or
• (3)the solution path is not known upfront and requires reasoning. An agent adds 3-10x the cost and latency of RAG. The tradeoff is autonomy vs predictability."