ConeheadAI · lessons
Latest lessons
14 of 163 leftover lessons · tag=agents. Start with the takeaway, then do the exercise. Tool-use focused — use AI you already have.
- SNK3-092generalStart with a free short agent-product lesson — then prove itA short free lesson can define agent-labeled products for using tools at work — then you still must run one checkable task yourself.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~5m
- SNK3-091generalAI tool value = checkable work shipped, not chat volumeWhen a team claims an AI tool 'works,' ask what checkable work shipped (PRs merged, tickets closed, docs published) — not how many chats or prompts were sent.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m
- SNK3-089policyMultipolar frontier — judge models by your eval, not the logoWhen many labs ship near the frontier at once, loyalty to one brand is weak strategy — pick by checkable evals on your tasks (tools, multi-step, cost).L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~5m
- SNK3-088generalBenchmarks lag real tool work — test the skill you needCute single-shot demos can detach from real workplace AI use: multi-turn tool calling on your actual tasks. Measure what your job needs, not the viral benchmark.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-087generalPrompt vs tool-agent vs multi-step — test the labels on tools you useMarketing says non-agentic / agent / agentic — verify on the product you use: tools? multi-step goal? memory/feedback? If none, it is still a chat tool.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-084generalScheduled tool-calls vs a product labeled 'agent'A product labeled 'agent' may just be a scheduled prompt that calls tools toward a goal — test for schedule + tools + goal + human gate, not branding.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-081policyFrontier models can exploit — do not hand-waveDismissing real exploit demos as 'marketing' is unsafe — treat them as capability evidence and raise guardrails.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-080generalReAct loops vs marketing 'loops'When someone says 'agent loops,' check whether they mean the plain ReAct cycle (act → observe → act) or a product buzzword.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m
- SNK3-078generalWhen a tool loops: remember what failed, fix, re-run onceA useful AI work loop is not more prompt flair — remember what failed, apply one fix, re-run with a human stop. That is tool use with memory, not a platform you must build.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-075generalX snack: systems that re-prompt themselvesOne-shot prompts lose to tiny loops: Goal → Draft → Critique → Revise.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m
- SNK3-063toolsPrefer a simple AI chat chain before you turn on 'agent' modeFor routine work, a short prompt chain with a human check often beats flipping on full agent/autonomy settings — add tools only when the simple path fails.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m
- SNK3-048harnessX snack: cost of endless agent loopsEndless agent loops have a cost (tokens, time, error). Budget steps; stop criteria matter.L2–L5 · Capable–Builder (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m
- SNK3-043harnessName the agent pattern — most are not full autonomy“Agent” is not one product: name the pattern (assistant, tool-caller, watcher, etc.) so risk and cost match the job.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~4m
- SNK3-042harnessX snack: prompt vs tool-agent vs multi-step — pick the modeSeparate one-shot chat, a tool-using agent product, and multi-step modes so you pick the lightest tool that still finishes the job.L1–L3 · Hands On–Verifier (bootstrap — system rebalances) · ~3m