Using Tools with Agents
Connect AI tools to your agents in Popcorn
Using Tools with Agents
After creating and configuring your AI tools, you can connect them to your AI agents to extend their capabilities. This guide explains how to use tools with your Popcorn AI agents.
Connecting Tools to Agents
Step 1: Navigate to Agent Settings
In your Popcorn dashboard, navigate to the Agents section and select the agent you want to connect tools to.
Step 2: Access Tool Configuration
In the agent settings, find the “Tools” section. This is where you can manage the tools available to your agent.
Step 3: Add Tools
Click “Add Tool” and select from your available tools. You can add multiple tools to a single agent.
How Agents Use Tools
When an agent has access to tools, it can:
- Recognize when a user request requires external data or actions
- Select the appropriate tool based on the request
- Formulate the necessary parameters for the tool call
- Execute the tool call and receive the response
- Incorporate the tool response into its reply to the user
Example Scenarios
Here are some examples of how agents can use tools:
Weather Tool Example
User: “What’s the weather like in San Francisco today?”
Agent:
- Recognizes this requires weather data
- Calls the weather tool with parameters:
{ "location": "San Francisco", "date": "today" } - Receives weather data from the API
- Responds: “It’s currently 65°F and sunny in San Francisco.”
Product Search Tool Example
User: “Find me red sneakers under $100”
Agent:
- Recognizes this is a product search
- Calls the product search tool with parameters:
{ "query": "red sneakers", "max_price": 100 } - Receives product listings
- Responds with formatted product information
Tool Parameters
When an agent uses a tool, it needs to provide the required parameters. There are several ways to handle this:
User-Provided Parameters
The agent can extract parameters from the user’s message:
User: “What’s the weather in Paris tomorrow?”
The agent extracts:
- location: “Paris”
- date: “tomorrow”
Agent-Generated Parameters
The agent can generate parameters based on context:
User: “What’s the weather like there?”
If the conversation previously mentioned London, the agent might use:
- location: “London”
- date: “today”
Parameter Collection
If necessary information is missing, the agent can ask follow-up questions:
User: “What’s the weather like?”
Agent: “I’d be happy to check the weather for you. Which city are you interested in?”
Best Practices
Tool Selection
- Configure your agent with tools that complement its purpose
- Avoid adding too many tools, which can confuse the agent
- Group related tools together for better organization
Error Handling
Train your agent to handle tool errors gracefully:
- API unavailability
- Invalid parameters
- Rate limiting
- Authentication failures
User Experience
- Make tool usage transparent to users
- Allow users to correct parameters if needed
- Provide fallbacks when tools are unavailable
Advanced Tool Usage
Tool Chaining
Agents can use multiple tools in sequence to complete complex tasks:
- Use a search tool to find a restaurant
- Use a reviews tool to get ratings
- Use a reservation tool to book a table
Tool Fallbacks
Configure fallback options when primary tools are unavailable:
- If a weather API is down, try an alternative weather service
- If product search returns no results, suggest alternatives
Monitoring Tool Usage
Monitor how your agents use tools to improve performance:
- Track which tools are used most frequently
- Identify common error patterns
- Measure response times
- Collect user feedback on tool effectiveness
Next Steps
After connecting tools to your agents: