Simon Willison’s Weblog

--- +++ @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since [at least the 1990s](https://simonwillison.net/2024/Oct/12/michael-wooldridge/) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one: -<center><strong>Agents run tools in a loop to achieve a goal</strong></center> +<p><center><strong>Agents run tools in a loop to achieve a goal</strong></center></p> You prompt the coding agent to define a goal. The agent then generates and executes code in a loop until that goal has been met.

--- +++ @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since [at least the 1990s](https://simonwillison.net/2024/Oct/12/michael-wooldridge/) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one: -**Agents run tools in a loop to achieve a goal** +<center><strong>Agents run tools in a loop to achieve a goal</strong></center> You prompt the coding agent to define a goal. The agent then generates and executes code in a loop until that goal has been met.

--- +++ @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ What are **coding agents**? They're agents that can both write and execute code. Popular examples include [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/), [OpenAI Codex](https://openai.com/codex/), and [Gemini CLI](https://geminicli.com/). -What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since at least the 1990s (footnote) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one: +What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since [at least the 1990s](https://simonwillison.net/2024/Oct/12/michael-wooldridge/) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one: **Agents run tools in a loop to achieve a goal**

--- +++ @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ -I use the term **agentic engineering** to describe the practice of developing software with the assistance of **coding agents**. +I use the term **agentic engineering** to describe the practice of developing software with the assistance of coding agents. -What are coding agents? They're agents that can both write and execute code. Popular examples include [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/), [OpenAI Codex](https://openai.com/codex/), and [Gemini CLI](https://geminicli.com/). +What are **coding agents**? They're agents that can both write and execute code. Popular examples include [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/), [OpenAI Codex](https://openai.com/codex/), and [Gemini CLI](https://geminicli.com/). What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since at least the 1990s (footnote) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one:

--- +++ @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ I use the term **agentic engineering** to describe the practice of developing software with the assistance of **coding agents**. -What are coding agents? They're agents that can both write and execute code. +What are coding agents? They're agents that can both write and execute code. Popular examples include [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/), [OpenAI Codex](https://openai.com/codex/), and [Gemini CLI](https://geminicli.com/). What's an **agent**? Clearly defining that term is a challenge that has frustrated AI researchers since at least the 1990s (footnote) but the definition I've come to accept, at least in the field of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini and Claude, is this one: