What is Tool Use?
TL;DR
The ability of AI models to call external tools and APIs to retrieve information and perform actions.
Tool Use: Definition & Explanation
Tool Use is the capability that allows LLMs to go beyond their trained knowledge by calling external tools and APIs to retrieve information or perform actions. Also known as Function Calling or Tool Calling, it enables tasks such as performing accurate calculations with a calculator, fetching the latest information via web search, querying databases, and executing code. Major LLMs including OpenAI's GPT-4, Anthropic's Claude, and Google's Gemini all offer Tool Use capabilities. It is a core technology for AI agents and serves as the key to complementing LLM limitations and accomplishing practical tasks.