Definition · foundations
tool selection
tool selection is the decision about which available tool, if any, should be used for the current step. You can spot tool selection in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does tool selection matter?
Choosing the wrong tool can waste time, expose data, or cause the wrong change even when the call itself is valid. For tool selection, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does tool selection look like?
An agent chooses read-only customer lookup instead of the account-edit tool for a verification question. This example makes tool selection visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is tool selection easy to confuse with?
Tool selection chooses the capability. Tool routing may then choose among providers that offer it. The closest entries here are tool schema, tool use, least privilege. Compare their definitions with tool selection before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps tool selection separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term tool selection?
We have not verified who first introduced tool selection. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before tool selection?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when tool selection depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use tool selection to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of tool selection?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of tool selection. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to tool selection; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundtool selectionChecked 2026-07-12→