Don't Let Perfection Stop Progress When Developing AI Agents
Red Hat, Friday, August 29th, 2025
The AI revolution has ignited a debate about what constitutes an "AI agent." Using the term 'AI agent' these days commonly implies autonomous, self-learning systems that pursue complex goals, adapting over time. A very impressive goal, but this purist vision can alienate traditional developers and slow innovation.
It's time to expand the definition, and embrace a broader perspective: AI agents don't always need to self-learn or chase lofty goals. Functional agents-a new term-that connect large language models (LLMs) to APIs, physical devices, or event-driven systems can be just as impactful. By prioritizing function over form, we enable a broader pool of developers to engage in building AI agents, empower both AI and traditional developers to collaborate, and build practical solutions that drive real-world value. Let's make progress without always demanding perfection.