In this episode of The Breakdown, Pete Koomen, a partner at YC and founder of Optimizely, discusses his essay criticizing the current approach to building AI agents. He contrasts the empowering experience of using AI coding tools with the frustrating experience of AI integrations in existing apps, like Gmail's draft writing agent. Pete argues that developers are using outdated software development techniques, resulting in "AI horseless carriages" that don't fully leverage AI's potential. He advocates for allowing users to customize system prompts, giving them more control and enabling AI to automate repetitive tasks effectively. The discussion explores the idea of AI agents as tools that users can program with natural language, the importance of providing agents with access to various tools, and the potential for AI to revolutionize various professions by automating repetitive workflows.
