logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
45 m

Tool calling and agents

Practical AI LLC
About this episode

It seems like everyone is uses the term “agent” differently these days. In this episode, Chris and Daniel dig into the details of tool calling and its connection to agents. They help clarify how LLMs can “talk to” and “interact with” other systems like databases, APIs, web apps, etc. Along the way they share related learning resources.

Join the discussion

Changelog++ members save 4 minutes on this episode because they made the ads disappear. Join today!

Sponsors:

  • Notion – Notion is a place where any team can write, plan, organize, and rediscover the joy of play. It’s a workspace designed not just for making progress, but getting inspired. Notion is for everyone — whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or freelance designer, starting a new startup or a student juggling classes and clubs. 

Featuring:

Show Notes:

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!

Up next
Aug 19
Inside America’s AI Action Plan
Dan and Chris break down Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, issued by the White House in July 2025. Structured as three "pillars" — Accelerate AI Innovation, Build American AI Infrastructure, and Lead in International AI Diplomacy and Security — our dynamic duo unpack th ... Show More
43m 52s
Aug 12
Confident, strategic AI leadership
Allegra Guinan of Lumiera helps leaders turn uncertainty about AI into confident, strategic leadership. In this conversation, she brings some actionable insights for navigating the hype and complexity of AI. The discussion covers challenges with implementing responsible AI practi ... Show More
47m 40s
Aug 8
Educating a data-literate generation
Dan sits down with guests Mark Daniel Ward and Katie Sanders from The Data Mine at Purdue University to explore how higher education is evolving to meet the demands of the AI-driven workforce. They share how their program blends interdisciplinary learning, corporate partnerships, ... Show More
44m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 16
Apps Are Obsolete: How Startups Can Leverage the New Era of AI Agents (Spotlight)
What if your next startup competitor doesn’t have a single employee?AI agents aren’t just another software trend — they’re redefining the interface between humans, data, and execution, yet many founders still confuse basic chatbots with the true potential of these agents.In this ... Show More
46m 43s
Apr 2025
Next-Gen Founders: Startups in the Age of AI (Edu)
Is AI making startups easier—or just changing the rules of the game?In a world where execution is cheap and accessible, building a successful startup is more competitive than ever. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein unpack the reality of every business having access ... Show More
53m 2s
Dec 2024
124. From Ideas to Impact: Chris Strahl and Evan Lovely on Five Years of Design Systems Innovation
Send us feedback or episode suggestions.In this special episode of the Design Systems Podcast, co-founders Chris Strahl and Evan Lovely celebrate five years of the podcast and reflect on their journey from agency work to building Knapsack. They discuss the evolution of design sys ... Show More
34m 2s
Oct 2024
Generally AI - Season 2 - Episode 2: Fantastic Algorithms and Where to Find Them
In this podcast, Roland Meertens and Anthony Alford discuss their favorite algorithms, starting with the etymology of the word "algorithm." They explore the Fibonacci sequence and the many algorithms for computing it. Roland introduces the concept of probabilistic counting, focus ... Show More
34m 10s
Nov 2019
Recode Decode: Jana Messerschmidt
Venture capitalist Jana Messerschmidt, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about how she became a partner at Lightspeed and the co-founder of an all-female group of angel investors called #ANGELS. Messerschmidt previously worked at DivX, Netflix, and Twitter, and also discusses the ... Show More
1h 1m
Dec 2024
The Spirit of Open Source in a Modern .NET World with Scott Harden
RJJ Software's Software Development Service This episode of The Modern .NET Show is supported, in part, by RJJ Software's Podcasting Services, whether your company is looking to elevate its UK operations or reshape its US strategy, we can provide tailored solutions that exceed ex ... Show More
1h 22m
Oct 2024
Generally AI - Season 2 - Episode 1: Generative AI and Creativity
Hosts Roland and Anthony discuss how AI is being used to make creativity more accessible. While some Generative AI content lacks variety and artistic depth, there is potential for AI to assist human creators rather than replace them. They also explore the challenge of evaluating ... Show More
44m 10s
Jul 18
5 Uses for the New ChatGPT Agent
ChatGPT Agent just launched, and it's already showing impressive results - beating humans on about half of knowledge work tasks according to OpenAI's internal benchmarks. In this video, we break down 5 practical use cases people are already getting value from: from analyzing cust ... Show More
22m 20s
Jun 30
Achieving Seamless Integration Through User Co-Design
Savannah Kunovsky and Jenna Fizel, co-managing directors of IDEO’s Emerging Technology division, talk about the future of technology in general and how we can work with our users to build the most impactful product. They explore prototyping and co-design techniques, as well as ho ... Show More
58m 53s
Mar 2020
It is Go Time! (Go Time)
This is THE podcast for diverse discussions from around the Go community. Go Time’s panel hosts special guests like Kelsey Hightower… (clip from episode #114) picks the brains of the Go team at Google… (clip from episode #100) shares their expertise from years in the industry (cl ... Show More
1m 30s