What exactly is an AI agent – and how do you build one?

What makes something an “AI agent” – and how do you build one that does more than just sound impressive in a demo?I’m Nico Finelli, Founding Go-To-Market Member at Vellum. Starting in machine learning, I’ve consulted for Fortune 500s, worked at Weights & Biases during the LLM boom, and now I help companies get from experimentation to production with How successful companies build with LLMsSo, how are the companies that do get to production pulling it off?First, they don’t just chase the latest shiny AI trend. They start with a clearly defined use case and understand what not to build. That discipline creates focus and prevents scope creep.Second, they build fast