How to Build Your First AI Agent with Python

AWS Developers · Beginner ·🤖 AI Agents & Automation ·11h ago

Skills: Agent Foundations90%

Everybody's talking about AI agents — but how do you actually build one? In this hands-on tutorial, you'll learn what makes up an AI agent (model, tools, system prompt, and the agentic loop) and then build your own from scratch using the Strands Agents SDK and Python. What you'll build: - A basic agent in 3 lines of code - Custom tools using the @tool decorator - A system prompt to shape agent behavior - An MCP server connection for real-world tool use Resources: Strands Agents: https://go.aws/3QnE19c Strands Agents SDK: https://go.aws/4u88KWt Kiro: https://go.aws/4vP0Jaw Amazon Bedrock AgentCore: https://go.aws/4sKxW3V uv (Python package manager): https://go.aws/3OUUSQb Follow AWS Developers! 🆇 X: https://go.aws/4sNH4F6 💼 LinkedIn: https://go.aws/42m7MK5 0:00 Introduction - What Are AI Agents? 0:28 The 4 Components of an AI Agent 1:30 Setting Up Strands Agents SDK 4:41 Adding Tool 7:17 Customizing Agent Personality with System Prompts 8:10 Building a Tabletop RPG Game Master 8:40 Choosing Your AI Model (AWS Bedrock) 11:26 Adding a Dice Rolling Tool 13:02 Implementing a Chat Loop 15:37 Advanced Agent Features 16:19 Adding Rule Lookup Tools (RAG Basics) 17:18 Managing Player State 18:05 Using Hooks for Enhanced Functionality 19:21 Playing the Complete RPG Game 20:40 Next Steps & Conclusion #AWS #AIAgents #StrandsAgents

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Chapters (15)

Introduction - What Are AI Agents?

0:28 The 4 Components of an AI Agent

1:30 Setting Up Strands Agents SDK

4:41 Adding Tool

7:17 Customizing Agent Personality with System Prompts

8:10 Building a Tabletop RPG Game Master

8:40 Choosing Your AI Model (AWS Bedrock)

11:26 Adding a Dice Rolling Tool

13:02 Implementing a Chat Loop

15:37 Advanced Agent Features

16:19 Adding Rule Lookup Tools (RAG Basics)

17:18 Managing Player State

18:05 Using Hooks for Enhanced Functionality

19:21 Playing the Complete RPG Game

20:40 Next Steps & Conclusion

CLI or MCP? How should AI agents interact with external tools?

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