5 ms·
A bit off topic but the post comes handy: can we settle the debate what an agent really is? It seems like everyone has their own definition. Ok I’ll start: an
by baxtr 2y ago
A bit off topic but the post comes handy: can we settle the debate what an agent really is? It seems like everyone has their own definition.
Ok I’ll start: an agent is a computer program that utilized LLMs heutiger for decision making.
- codydkdc 2y agoan agent is software that does something on behalf of someone (aka software) I personally strongly prefer the term "bots" for what most of these frameworks call "agents"
- handfuloflight 2y agoStick to the agentic nomenclature if you want at least a magnitude increase in valuation.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- 3stripe 2y agoFirst rule of writing definitions: use everyday English.
- baxtr 2y agoTrue! Meant heuristic
- knowaveragejoe 2y agoI think Anthropic's definition makes the most sense. - Workflows are systems where LLMs and tools are orchestrated through predefined code paths. (imo this is what most people are referring to as "agents") - Agents, on the other hand, are systems where LLMs dynamically direct their own processes and tool usage, maintaining control over how they accomplish tasks. https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-agents https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-effective-age...
- kodablah 2y agoThe problem with this definition is that modern workflow systems are not through predefined code paths, they do dynamically direct their own processes and tool usage.
- dzzen 2y ago> they do dynamically direct their own processes and tool usage how are they dynamic? if there is a code written for it then they are not dynamic. If they are driven by LLMs interpretation then there is no explicit code written and it's figured out at runtime
- rglover 2y agoAgents are just regular LLM chat bots that are prompted to parse user input into instructions about what functions to call in your back-end, with what data, etc. Basically it's a way to take random user input and turn it into pseudo-logic you can write code against. As an example, I can provide a system prompt that mentions a function like get_weather() being available to call. Then, I can pass whatever my user's prompt text is and the LLM will determine what code I need to call on the back-end. So if a user types "What is the weather in Nashville?" the LLM would infer that the user is asking about weather and reply to me with a string like "call function get_weather with location Nashville" or if you prompted it, some JSON like { function_to_call: 'get_weather', location: 'Nashville' }. From there, I'd just call that function with any the data I asked the LLM to provide.
- gusmally 2y agoThat sounds like L1 in this article (there are six) https://www.vellum.ai/blog/levels-of-agentic-behavior https://www.vellum.ai/blog/levels-of-agentic-behavior
- rglover 2y agoRelative to that scale, L2 is how I've come to understand it. It's kind of soft-sold as L3 but that will require quite a bit of work on the vendor side (e.g., implementing an AWS Lambda style setup for authoring functions the LLM can call).
- kylecazar 2y agoEven more off topic, does "heutiger" mean something in English that I'm unaware of? Google tells me it's just German for 'today' or 'current'.
- nsonha 2y agoThere is already a definition in agent oriented programning. It has something to do with own sensors of environment and react autonomously. I find that definition fits agentic AI too. My rudimentary interpretation is anything with its own inner (event) loop.