Definition · foundations
tool use
tool use is the use of an outside tool for its result or for the change it causes. You can spot tool use 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 use matter?
Tools give an agent reach beyond generated text, which means their permissions and side effects define real consequence. For tool use, 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 use look like?
An analyst agent runs a calculator to verify totals before returning a report. This example makes tool use 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 use easy to confuse with?
Tool use is the broad act. Tool calling is the structured request that initiates a particular use. The closest entries here are tool selection, trajectory, agent loop. Compare their definitions with tool use before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps tool use 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 use?
We have not verified who first introduced tool use. 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 use?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when tool use 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 use 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 use?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of tool use. 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 use; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundtool useChecked 2026-07-12→