Agent optimization is the work of making an agent workflow dependable — despite long tool chains, multiple roles, and the inherent variability of large language models. In day-to-day engineering terms, it is closer to debugging a complex system than “making the model smarter”: you are tuning roles, prompts, routing, memory, tool use, and verification soContinue reading “Agent Optimization: From Prompt Whispering to Platform Engineering”
Author Archives: Ben Lorica
Agent workflows: stop guessing, start measuring
Subscribe • Previous Issues Agent Optimization: From Prompt Whispering to Platform Engineering Agent optimization is the work of making an agent workflow dependable — despite long tool chains, multiple roles, and the inherent variability of large language models. In day-to-day engineering terms, it is closer to debugging a complex system than “making the model smarter”: you areContinue reading “Agent workflows: stop guessing, start measuring”
Adapting Your Data Platform to the Agent-Native Era
As we settle into 2026, I think data engineering is being pulled in two directions at once: toward more automation(because agents are starting to do real work) and toward more scrutiny (because “close enough” stops being acceptable once software is making decisions). Real usage data backs up the intuition that workloads are becoming automated, moreContinue reading “Adapting Your Data Platform to the Agent-Native Era”
Data Engineering in 2026: What Changes?
Subscribe • Previous Issues Adapting Your Data Platform to the Agent-Native Era As we settle into 2026, I think data engineering is being pulled in two directions at once: toward more automation(because agents are starting to do real work) and toward more scrutiny (because “close enough” stops being acceptable once software is making decisions). Real usage dataContinue reading “Data Engineering in 2026: What Changes?”
The Year in Print: 12 Books That Defined 2025
To mark the season, here are twelve non-fiction selections for the twelve days of Christmas. These are books we enjoyed and found worth passing along, ranging from deep dives into semiconductor history to fresh looks at creative collaboration. Whether you need a companion for a long-haul flight, a thoughtful gift idea, or simply a quietContinue reading “The Year in Print: 12 Books That Defined 2025”
Your holiday reading list: 12 books we loved this year
Subscribe • Previous Issues The Year in Print: 12 Books That Defined 2025 To mark the season, here are twelve non-fiction selections for the twelve days of Christmas. These are books we enjoyed and found worth passing along, ranging from deep dives into semiconductor history to fresh looks at creative collaboration. Whether you need a companion forContinue reading “Your holiday reading list: 12 books we loved this year”
The World Model Minefield: A Guide for AI Teams
The term “world model” has quickly migrated from research papers to the center of the artificial intelligence conversation, frequently cited in media coverage of next-gen AI. At a high level, the concept promises AI that does not merely predict the next word in a sentence but understands the underlying physics, cause-and-effect, and spatial dynamics ofContinue reading “The World Model Minefield: A Guide for AI Teams”
“World Model” is a mess. Here’s how to make sense of it.
Subscribe • Previous Issues The World Model Minefield: A Guide for AI Teams The term “world model” has quickly migrated from research papers to the center of the artificial intelligence conversation, frequently cited in media coverage of next-gen AI. At a high level, the concept promises AI that does not merely predict the next word in aContinue reading ““World Model” is a mess. Here’s how to make sense of it.”
2025 AI Governance Survey
As artificial intelligence systems become increasingly integral to business operations and societal functions, establishing effective AI governance is paramount for managing risks, ensuring ethical deployment, and fostering responsible innovation. The 2025 AI Governance Survey was conducted online for 105 days, spanning from February 14 to May 29, 2025. This initiative gathered responses from 351 participants,Continue reading “2025 AI Governance Survey”
Beyond Black Boxes: A Guide to Observability for Agentic AI
The core mindset shift for agentic systems is simple: observability isn’t an add-on, it’s a production prerequisite. Enterprises are unwilling to trust black-box agents; they expect to understand behavior, decision-making, and reasoning. This means architecting for visibility from the very first design doc and building a culture where “how will we measure this?” is asContinue reading “Beyond Black Boxes: A Guide to Observability for Agentic AI”