From the lab

Field notes from the build floor.

Engineering essays on agents, retrieval, and automation — written while the solder is still warm.

Abstract cover artwork for the article “Agents Need Budgets, Not Just Goals”

Engineering Jul 8, 2026

Agents Need Budgets, Not Just Goals

An agent with a goal and no budget is a liability with an API key. The most important lines in our agent code are the ones that say 'stop'.