Building AI Agents: Key Differences Between Configuration and Coding

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The author, drawing on experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio, contrasts two methods for creating AI agents. The first involves configuring an agent within a managed platform, while the second requires engineering one using a code-first framework like Google's Agent Development Kit (ADK). A critical distinction lies in governance, as a coded agent can operate locally with minimal oversight, unlike a platform-configured one. Furthermore, when using cloud-based models, all data exchanged with the agent must be considered to leave the local environment for processing.

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