Introduction to AI Agents: Build a Web Research Assistant

AI agents are transforming how we interact with information, moving beyond simple chat to autonomous task execution. In this foundational course, you will learn how to design and build a text-based AI research agent capable of executing web searches, utilizing external tools, and compiling intelligent summaries. You will transition from understanding basic large language model interactions to orchestrating multi-step agent workflows. What you will learn: Understand the fundamental architecture and terminology of AI agents; Configure language models to utilize external tools and APIs; Design effective system prompts to guide autonomous research tasks; Implement basic Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) patterns for context processing; Build a step-by-step logic flow for an agent to search, read, and summarize web data. The course begins with essential definitions and core concepts of agentic AI before moving into practical, written exercises. You will follow detailed code snippets and logical breakdowns to construct your own research tool from the ground up. This course is designed entirely for beginners, requiring no prior experience with AI development or complex prerequisites. Start reading today to unlock the potential of autonomous AI agents.