What is an AI Agent Harness?

Short summary

An AI Agent Harness is the software infrastructure surrounding an LLM that enables it to interact with the outside world via tools, memory, execution environments, and safety controls. The article breaks down the four key capabilities (tool integration, memory management, workspace access, safety enforcement) and explains the ReAct execution cycle. It clarifies the distinction between model (reasoning), harness (execution), and agent (complete system).

• •AI Agent = Model + Harness; the harness handles tools, memory, workspace, and safety
• •Four key harness capabilities: tool integration, memory, execution environment, safety controls
• •ReAct pattern (Reason → Act → Observe → Repeat) drives the agent execution cycle

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