Function Calling Foundations
AGAI 201 · Module 1
Learn what tools are in agentic AI systems and how function calling turns language models from passive text generators into systems that can request real actions. This module introduces the tool-call lifecycle, API message flow, and the difference between model reasoning and application execution.
Lessons in this module
What Tools Are in Agentic AI
Understand tools as external capabilities exposed to an AI system, and learn why tool use is central to practical agentic AI.
The Function Calling Lifecycle
Learn the complete function-calling message flow: tool definition, model tool request, application execution, tool result, and final model response.
Tool Results, Observations, and Agent State
Learn how agents interpret tool results, preserve state across steps, and decide whether to continue, stop, retry, or escalate.
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