The Layers Around the Model

A good model isn’t enough. You also need effective systems around the model to make AI agents useful, and that’s a great opportunity for open source developers, says Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian. Private memory can hold personal context. Tool calling lets an agent make appointments or purchases, while runtime rules govern how agents operate and communicate. Raffi compares a powerful model to a scalpel: “If you give a scalpel to a regular person on the street, they'll just hack someone's body up,” Raffi explains. “But if you give it to a surgeon, they exactly know what to do.” Think of the systems as the medical training that guides the surgeon toward the task at hand. Follow O'Reilly on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oreilly/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/OReilly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oreillymedia BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/oreilly.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oreillymedia