Latitude Agents are an advanced prompt type that enables AI models to operate autonomously, breaking down complex tasks, using tools, and reasoning through multiple steps until a final goal is achieved.

Unlike simple prompts or even Chains which follow predefined steps, Agents can dynamically decide their next action based on the context and available tools.

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Defining an Agent

To turn a prompt into an Agent, simply add type: agent to its configuration block:

---
provider: openai
model: gpt-4o
type: agent
---

Plan and execute the steps needed to research and write
a short blog post about the benefits of using Latitude Agents.

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How the Agent Loop Works

When an Agent prompt is run:

1. Goal Understanding: The agent analyzes the initial prompt to understand the overall task or goal.
2. Planning (Implicit): It internally plans the first step needed to move towards the goal.
3. Action: It decides whether to: a. Call a Tool: If it needs external information or functionality, it requests a tool call. b. Generate Response: If it has enough information or needs to ask a clarifying question, it generates text.
4. Observation: If a tool was called, it receives the tool’s response.
5. Reasoning: Based on the goal, previous steps, and new observations (tool responses), it reasons about the next action needed.
6. Repeat: Steps 3-5 repeat until the agent determines the original goal is fully accomplished.
7. Final Answer: The agent provides the final result.

This loop allows the agent to adapt its strategy, handle errors, and utilize tools effectively.

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Using Tools Within Agents

Agents become truly powerful when combined with Tools. Provide the agent with a set of relevant tools, and it will decide which ones to use and when.

---
provider: openai
model: gpt-4o
type: agent
tools:
  - latitude/search
  - get_weather
  - get_location_id

  # Tool definitions...
  - get_weather:
      # ... definition
  - get_location_id:
      # ... definition
---

Find the current weather for {{ location_name }}.

In this example, the agent might:

1. Realize it needs a location ID for get_weather.
2. Call get_location_id with location_name.
3. Receive the location_id.
4. Call get_weather with the obtained location_id.
5. Receive the weather data.
6. Formulate and return the final answer to the user.

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Defining the Final Output (Schema)

You can guide the agent’s final output by specifying a response schema using JSON Schema:

---
provider: openai
model: gpt-4o
type: agent
tools:
  - latitude/search
schema:
  type: object
  properties:
    summary:
      type: string
      description: A concise summary of the findings.
    key_points:
      type: array
      items:
        type: string
      description: A list of key bullet points.
  required: [summary, key_points]
---

Research the main features of the Vercel AI SDK and provide a summary and key bullet points.

The agent will work towards fulfilling the task and then structure its final response according to the schema.

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Predefined Steps

While agents operate autonomously, you can provide initial instructions or force specific actions using <step> tags. The agent will execute these predefined steps first before entering its autonomous loop.

---
# ... agent config ...
---

<step>
  First, search for recent news about AI advancements.
</step>

<step>
  Then, identify the top 3 trends mentioned.
</step>

Now, write a short analysis comparing these trends.

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Limiting Agent Iterations

To prevent agents from running indefinitely (e.g., getting stuck in loops), you can limit the maximum number of steps (tool calls + LLM responses) using the maxSteps configuration option (default: 20, max: 150).

---
# ... agent config ...
maxSteps: 10 # Limit the agent to 10 steps
---

If the limit is reached before the goal is completed, the agent run will terminate with an error.

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Running Agents

Agents are run just like any other prompt using the API or SDKs. The response will typically be a stream of events detailing the agent’s thought process, tool calls, and final answer.

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Subagents

You can make any prompt have access to other agents in your project by using the agents configuration option. This allows you to create a hierarchy of agents, where tasks are delegated to subagents with specific responsibilities.

---
provider: openai
model: gpt-4o
agents:
 - path/to/another-agent
---

The main prompt will have access to running the subagent prompt as if it was a tool. This allows you to structure complex tasks into smaller, manageable sub-tasks performed by different agents.

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Next Steps

• Our take on Anthropic’s building agents article
• Explore Latitude Tools that agents can use.
• Test your agents in the Playground.
• Learn about Evaluations to assess agent performance.