Retool Agents: Build Your First Autonomous AI Coworkers in 3 Steps

You may have heard of the phrase "putting AI to work," yet most AI tools still live inside a chat box. Agents by Retool is different. We're talking about AI that doesn't just chat or offer suggestions but actually does the work. A dedicated team member, or even a whole team, solving problems and working diligently, 24/7, all with autonomous AI agents.

If you don't know what AI agents are, then in short, these are software that work independently (hence autonomous) without interrupting workflow. Instead of writing summaries or answering questions, these agents can access company systems, databases, SaaS applications, and internal workflows to complete the tasks that people keep postponing.

What is Retool Agents?

Retool, a company known for helping developers build internal tools quickly, has introduced "Retool Agents," which they describe as your first autonomous AI coworkers. The idea is to build an AI team, equip them with custom tools connected to your business systems, and let them handle tasks that would otherwise consume valuable human hours.

Retool claims customers have already replaced 50,000 full-time jobs and saved roughly six billion dollars in the past year and a half. Those numbers sound bold, but the pitch is simple: let language models use the same APIs employees use, give them clear instructions, and then watch them execute tasks faster and for a low cost.

Key features and functions

Here's a glance at what these Retool Agents offer:

• Live observability: A dashboard shows every running agent, each step it takes, and the cost ticker climbing by pennies rather than dollars. Managers can zoom into a single session to "look over the shoulder" of an algorithm while it works.

• Straightforward hourly billing: Pick a model tier, run an agent for as long as needed, and stop the meter when the job is done without surprises or no annual licenses.

• Custom tools, deep context: Retool's drag-and-drop builder turns existing SQL queries, REST endpoints, and saved workflows into task-specific utilities an agent can call. The more precise the tools, the smarter the agent behaves.

• Built-in evaluation: Performance tests and safety checks run continuously, helping teams tune prompts, cap spending, and catch drift before it spreads.

• Fast setup: Start from a template or write a short prompt from scratch, choose a preferred large language model, and press "run." Building a small digital workforce is literally a three-step flow.

Consider a sales-ops example. An agent connected to Google Calendar, Salesforce, and an internal vector store listens for new meeting bookings. The moment a prospect schedules a call, the agent researches the attendee, pulls relevant case studies, and assembles a custom slide deck, with a total cost reportedly about $0.15 per run.

How to set up an AI agent:

1. Prepare Your Agent: You can define an agent's role and tasks with a short written instruction or through a few clicks. Options include starting from pre-designed templates or building from scratch, selecting your preferred large language model (LLM), and providing clear instructions.

2. Connect Resources: Grant your agent access to your existing saved queries or workflows. You can also create new, well-governed tools specifically for agent use and link them to other company systems or even other agents.

3. Monitor Performance: Keep tabs on your agents to ensure they are performing as expected, watch costs, and fine-tune their operations using built-in evaluation features. You get a clear view of the AI agent's work in real-time.

Conclusion

Autonomous AI agents still arouse healthy skepticism, yet Retool's customers are betting that carefully built AI agents will soon feel as ordinary as cloud servers or email. Retool Agents gives companies a low-risk way to see what happens when the software stops waiting for instructions and simply gets the job done by mixing transparent billing, real-time oversight, and plug-and-play integrations. For companies chasing efficiency for lower payroll, these digital agents could be the most pragmatic hire of the quarter.