How Tools Work
This page provides a high-level overview of AI tools.
For details on specific tools, see the Agent Tools section.
Tools Explained
An AI tool represents an action an agent can take, rather than static knowledge it possesses.
Equipping an AI agent with tools allows it to interact with external systems, turning it from a static writer into an active problem solver.
The Agent Decides
During a request, the agent independently determines if it needs a tool, uses it if necessary, and proceeds with the work. It automatically deploys the appropriate tool when relevant.
Adding a Tool
In Agent Studio, scroll to the Agent Tools section of your build and press ADD TOOL. The menu lists every tool your agent does not already have; pick one and it appears as a card.
There's no on/off switch anywhere in that section, and that's deliberate: a tool your agent has is a tool with a card. Adding it grants the capability, removing the card takes it away.
Configuring a Tool
Tools fall into two groups:
- Nothing to configure. Add the card and you're done—Web Search works this way.
- Configuration required. The card gives you fields to fill in: what to connect to, and what the agent is allowed to touch. Bubble DB Read needs your connection details and the tables it may read.
Credentials
Where a tool needs a key or token, it has a field for it, and that field is the only place a credential belongs. Put one anywhere else on the card—in a description, in a table name—and it isn't protected.
Once a credential is deployed, the portal never shows it back to you. The field reads •••• stored with a Replace option instead. Leave it alone and the stored value stays as it is; press Replace to set a new one.
Tools and Environments
A tool is part of the agent you deploy, so it lives in whichever environment you deployed the agent to. Adding a tool in the editor gives it to your Test agent when you deploy to Test—your Live agent does not have it until you deploy to Live.
Removing a Tool
Press Remove on the card and confirm. What that costs you depends on the tool:
- A tool with no configuration can be added back at any time—nothing was stored for it.
- A tool with settings and credentials has them deleted. Adding it back means setting it up from scratch.
Either way the removal is local to the build you're editing until you deploy. Your live agent keeps the tool until you deploy to Live.
What Tools Cost
Tools add to the cost of an AI request. For example, if the agent runs a web search to answer you, that search fee is added to the price of your request. Pricing has the details.