AI Agent Patterns

Overview

AI agents are autonomous systems that use Large Language Models (LLMs) to reason, plan, and execute tasks. Unlike simple chatbots, agents can break down complex problems into steps, use tools to interact with external systems, and adapt their behavior based on feedback. This skill covers agent architectures (ReAct, Plan-and-Execute, Tree of Thoughts, Reflexion), core components (memory, planning, tool use), frameworks (LangChain, AutoGPT, CrewAI, Semantic Kernel), tool design, multi-agent systems, error recovery, guardrails, evaluation, and production deployment.

Prerequisites

• Understanding of LLMs and their capabilities
• Knowledge of prompt engineering and system prompts
• Familiarity with function calling and tool APIs
• Understanding of agent architectures and design patterns
• Basic knowledge of vector databases and embeddings
• Understanding of safety and guardrails for AI systems

Key Concepts

Agent Characteristics