Definition
The platform that plans, schedules and runs an AI agent's multi-step tasks — deciding which tools to call, in what order, and tracking each step's outcome. It holds the agent's identity, state and permissions, so a compromise there can reroute or hijack entire workflows. Products such as Hatchet explicitly market themselves as AI-agent and workflow orchestrators.
Why it matters
Security at the orchestrator is security over every agent it runs; a flaw at this layer can silently redirect an agent's actions or leak its entire workflow and credentials.