AI Agents: Understanding the Thinking of Llama 3.2 3B

Introduction

AI agents are becoming indispensable tools in solving complex problems and enhancing workflows, with each iteration bringing more power and sophistication. Among these advancements, Llama 3.2 3B takes center stage as a larger, more capable model designed for deeper reasoning and more nuanced responses. But how does it “think,” and what makes it stand out as an AI agent?

In this blog, we’ll explore the reasoning process of Llama 3.2 3B by putting it through real-world scenarios. From processing large datasets to generating insightful solutions, we’ll evaluate how this AI agent handles challenges and makes decisions. By dissecting its performance, we aim to understand the mechanisms behind its thought process and how it compares to other models. If you’re interested in AI agents and the science of their reasoning, join us as we take a closer look at the thinking of Llama 3.2 3B.

Task 1: Content Generation

Prompt:
When user says “Start” you should:

• Content Generation: Write a comprehensive, informative article about project management fundamentals, with a specific focus on defining objectives, scope, and delegation.

Initial Task Understanding and Information Gathering

• (0:05) Thought: Can you provide details about the current task or project we are working on, including any objectives, deadlines, and specific requirements?
• (0:08) Thought: Gather information on project management fundamentals, with specific focus on defining objectives, scope, and delegation.
• (0:16) Thought: To write a comprehensive article on project management fundamentals, I need to gather detailed information on defining project objectives, scope, and delegation. I’ll start by using the Wikipedia tool to get a broad overview of project management, which might include these components.
  Using tool: wikipedia
• (0:18) Thought: The Wikipedia entry provides a good overview of project management, but it lacks specific details on defining objectives, scope, and delegation. I’ll use google_serper to find more targeted information on these aspects.
  Using tool: google_serper
• (0:22) Thought: I’ve gathered some insights on defining project objectives. Now, I need to delve into the specifics of scope and delegation. I’ll use google_serper again to find detailed information on these topics.
  Using tool: google_serper
• (0:25) Thought: I’ve gathered some insights on defining project objectives and scope. Now, I need to delve into the specifics of delegation in project management. I’ll use google_serper again to find detailed information on this topic.
  Using tool: google_serper

Analysis of the Agent’s Thought Process

• Understanding the Task: The agent correctly interprets the prompt and identifies the need to provide information on project management fundamentals, specifically defining objectives, scope, and delegation.
• Information Gathering: The agent decides to start with Wikipedia for a broad overview and then uses Google Search (google_serper) for more specific information. The agent explicitly mentions focusing on each of the three key aspects (objectives, scope, and delegation) separately, indicating a structured approach to gathering information.
• Iterative Approach: The agent demonstrates an iterative approach to information gathering. It starts with a broad search on Wikipedia, then refines its search using Google Search to focus on each key area.
• Adaptability: When the initial Wikipedia search does not provide enough specific details, the agent adapts by switching to Google Search, showcasing flexibility in its research strategy.
• Repetition: While the agent’s thoughts indicate a structured approach to gathering information on each topic, there is some repetition in the displayed thoughts, suggesting a potential loop or inefficiency in the process.

Snippet of Bot Output

Project Management Fundamentals: Defining Objectives, Scope, and Delegation

Project management is a critical discipline that involves planning, executing, and overseeing projects to achieve specific goals within a defined timeline and budget. At its core, project management seeks to effectively utilize resources and guide a project from inception to completion. Three fundamental aspects of project management are defining objectives, determining the scope, and delegating tasks. Mastering these elements is essential for successful project execution.

Defining Objectives

Defining clear and achievable objectives is the cornerstone of any successful project. Objectives provide a roadmap for the project, guiding the team toward the desired outcomes. They should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). A well-defined objective helps in aligning the team’s efforts and resources, minimizing misunderstandings, and setting clear expectations for all stakeholders.

• Time Taken: 18 seconds (from receiving the prompt at 0:05 to when the output starts appearing at 0:23)
• Readability: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 17, Flesch-Kincaid Score: 16.61
• Summary Length: 464 words

Analysis of the Output

• Well-Structured: The agent produces a well-structured article with clear headings for each section (Defining Objectives, Determining the Scope, Delegation).
• Comprehensive: The article covers the key aspects of project management fundamentals as requested in the prompt.
• Detailed Explanations: Each section provides detailed explanations and practical advice, making the content informative and useful.
• Clear and Concise: The language used is clear and concise, making the complex topic of project management more accessible.
• Adherence to Instructions: The agent follows the instructions by focusing on the specified topics and providing a comprehensive overview.

Conclusion

The agent demonstrates a strong ability to generate high-quality content on project management fundamentals. The thought process, although limited in the video, suggests a systematic approach to research and content creation. The agent effectively utilizes the available tools and adapts its strategy to gather the necessary information. The final output is well-structured, informative, and adheres to the prompt’s requirements. The agent continues to perform exceptionally well, showcasing its proficiency in content generation and its ability to handle complex topics.

Task 2: Calculation

Prompt:
Answer the Problem:
A company sells two products: Product A and Product B. Product A costs $30 per unit to produce and sells for $50 per unit. Product B costs $40 per unit to produce and sells for $70 per unit.
The company sold 120 units of Product A and 80 units of Product B last month. Calculate the total revenue generated from the sales of both products.
Calculate the total profit generated from the sales of both products (Revenue – Total production cost).
The company wants to increase the total revenue by 10%. How many additional units of each product must they sell to achieve this goal, assuming the production cost per unit and selling price per unit remain constant?

Initial Task Understanding

• (0:06) Thought: Calculate the total revenue and total profit from the sales of Product A and Product B, and determine how many additional units of each product must be sold to increase total revenue by 10%.
• Sub-questions to break down the task
• (0:18) Thought: What is the total revenue generated from the sales of Product A and Product B?

Analysis of the Agent’s Thought Process

• Understanding the Prompt: The agent correctly interprets the task, identifying the need to calculate total revenue, total profit, and the additional units needed to achieve a 10% revenue increase.
• Breaking Down the Task: The agent then proceeds to ask itself what is needed to be calculated first, breaking down the main prompt into smaller questions to help set out the steps needed to achieve the goal.

Bot Output Snippet

• Total Revenue is $11,600.

• Total Profit is $4,800.

• To increase total revenue by 10%, the company needs to sell an additional 29 units of Product A and 12 units of Product B.

• Time Taken: 24 seconds (from receiving the prompt at 0:06 to the final answer appearing at 0:30)

• Readability: Not applicable as the output is primarily numerical calculations.

• Summary Length: 45 words

Analysis of the Output

• Correct Calculations: The agent correctly calculates the total revenue and total profit, matching the results from previous turns.
• Incorrect Calculation: The agent incorrectly states that to achieve a 10% increase in total revenue the company will need to sell an additional 29 units of product A and 12 units of product B.

The correct calculation should be as follows:

• 10% increase on current revenue of $11,600 = $1,160

• If we were to try and achieve the goal using only one product at a time:

  • Product A: $50 per unit, $1,160 / 50 = 23.2, rounded up to 24 units.
  • Product B: $70 per unit, $1,160 / 70 = 16.57, rounded up to 17 units.

• The agent could also, for example, have chosen to split the increase evenly among the products, so an increase of $580 for each product, meaning:

  • Product A: $580 / $50 = 11.6, rounded up to 12 units.
  • Product B: $580 / $70 = 8.29, rounded up to 9 units.

• Any combination of increases in product A and B can be used, as long as the increase in revenue adds up to the value of $1,160.

• Concise Presentation: The agent presents the final answer concisely, summarizing the key results.

Conclusion

While the agent correctly calculates the total revenue and profit, it makes an error in determining the additional units needed to achieve the 10% revenue increase. The provided combination of 29 additional units of Product A and 12 units of Product B does not align with the previously established calculations or goal. This indicates a potential flaw in the agent’s reasoning or calculation process. Despite this error, the agent demonstrates an understanding of the task and presents the information in a clear and organized manner. However, the accuracy of the final answer is compromised by the incorrect calculation of additional units needed.

Task 3: Summarization

Prompt:
Summarize the key findings from the previous article in 100 words, focusing on the most significant sections.

Initial Task Understanding

• (0:06) Thought: Summarize the key findings from the previous article in 100 words, focusing on the most significant sections.

Analysis of the Agent’s Thought Process

• Understanding the Prompt: The agent correctly interprets the task, understanding that it needs to summarize the key findings of the previous article within a 100-word limit and focus on the most significant sections.

Analysis of the Output

• Conciseness: The agent successfully summarizes the article within the 100-word constraint, producing a summary of 89 words.
• Content: The summary accurately captures the main points of the article, including the significance of AI reasoning, its types, historical development, applications in healthcare, recent advancements with OpenAI’s o1 model, and ethical considerations.
• Clarity: The summary is clear, concise, and well-structured, making it easy to understand the core message of the article.
• Relevance: The summary focuses on the most significant aspects of the article, as requested in the prompt.

Snippet of Bot Output

The article discusses the significance of AI reasoning in various fields, particularly in healthcare, where it has improved efficiency and accuracy. AI reasoning encompasses different types, including symbolic and connectionist AI, and has a rich historical development. Its applications in healthcare have been substantial, with AI reasoning enhancing diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Recent advancements, such as OpenAI’s o1 model, have further improved performance and safety measures. The article also delves into ethical considerations, challenges like data privacy, and the implications of AI in fields beyond healthcare, highlighting the transformative potential of AI reasoning while acknowledging the need for careful management of its ethical and practical challenges.

• Time Taken: 8 seconds (from receiving the prompt at 0:06 to the output appearing at 0:14)
• Readability: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 19, Flesch-Kincaid Score: 19.09
• Summary Length: 89 words

Conclusion

The agent demonstrates a strong ability to summarize complex information accurately and concisely. Despite the limited visibility into the agent’s internal thought process, the output quality is high, and it adheres to the instructions regarding length and focus. The agent’s performance in this task further confirms its proficiency in content generation and summarization. It continues to follow the established guidelines for analysis and consistently produces high-quality results.

Task 4: Comparison Task

Prompt:
When user says “Start” you should:
Compare the environmental impact of electric vehicles with that of hydrogen-powered cars. Include factors such as energy production, vehicle lifecycle, and emissions.

Initial Task Understanding and Information Gathering

• (0:06) Thought: To compare the environmental impact of electric vehicles (EVs) with hydrogen-powered cars, I need to gather detailed information on energy production, vehicle lifecycle, and emissions for both types of vehicles. I’ll start by searching for comprehensive studies or reports that analyze these aspects.
  Using tool: google_serper
• (0:15) Thought: The search results provide several links to articles that compare electric and hydrogen vehicles. I will now fetch the content of these URLs to gather detailed data on energy production, vehicle lifecycle, and emissions.
  Using tool: url_crawl_tool
• Handling Tool Errors
  (0:25) Thought: The error in fetching the URLs indicates that the input format was incorrect. I need to ensure the URLs are provided as a JSON array of strings. Let’s try again with the correct format.
  Using tool: url_crawl_tool

Analysis of the Agent’s Thought Process

• Understanding the Task: The agent correctly identifies the task as comparing the environmental impacts of EVs and hydrogen-powered cars, focusing on energy production, vehicle lifecycle, and emissions.
• Strategic Planning: The agent decides to gather information by searching for comprehensive studies or reports, indicating a strategic approach to research.
• Tool Selection: The agent initially uses google_serper for searching and then decides to use url_crawl_tool to fetch content from relevant URLs.
• Error Handling: The agent encounters an error with the url_crawl_tool and correctly identifies the potential issue as an incorrect input format (not a JSON array of strings).
• Adaptability: Despite the error, the agent intends to retry with the correct format, showcasing adaptability.

However, the video does not show any further thoughts, so we don’t see how the agent proceeds after encountering the error multiple times.

Snippet of Bot Output

The environmental impact of electric vehicles (EVs) compared to hydrogen-powered cars can be assessed across several key dimensions: energy production, vehicle lifecycle, and emissions.

Energy Production:

• Electric Vehicles: The environmental impact of EVs largely depends on the source of electricity used for charging. Renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power significantly reduce the carbon footprint of EVs. However, if the electricity comes from fossil fuels, the emissions can be considerable.
• Hydrogen-Powered Cars: Hydrogen can be produced through various methods, including natural gas reforming and electrolysis. While electrolysis using renewable energy sources is cleaner, the predominant method is reforming natural gas, which results in greenhouse gas emissions.

Vehicle Lifecycle:

• Electric Vehicles: EVs have a more significant environmental impact during their production phase, particularly due to the mining and processing of lithium, cobalt, and other materials for batteries. However, they tend to have lower emissions over their operational lifetime, especially if powered by renewable energy.
• Hydrogen-Powered Cars: The production of fuel cells also involves energy-intensive processes and the use of rare materials like platinum. The lifecycle emissions can be higher or lower than EVs depending on the hydrogen production method.

Emissions:

• Electric Vehicles: EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions. Their total emissions depend on the electricity source. When charged with clean energy, their overall emissions are significantly lower compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.
• Hydrogen-Powered Cars: These vehicles also have zero tailpipe emissions, only emitting water vapor. However, the upstream emissions from hydrogen production can be significant, especially if the hydrogen is not produced sustainably.

Overall, both electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered cars offer pathways to reducing transportation emissions, but their environmental impacts vary depending on the energy sources and technologies used throughout their lifecycles. Transitioning to cleaner energy production methods is crucial for maximizing the environmental benefits of both technologies.

• Time Taken: The agent receives the prompt at 0:06 and the output starts to appear at 0:32. However, since the agent’s thought process gets cut off mid-sentence and it continues to attempt to use the url_crawl_tool it appears that something has gone wrong and the agent never actually finishes generating the response.
• Readability: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 16, Flesch-Kincaid Score: 16.01
• Summary Length: 302 words

Analysis of the Output

• Incomplete Response: The agent’s final thought at 0:25 indicates that it was interrupted during its process. The output, while starting strong, is incomplete. The agent stops mid-sentence when discussing emissions from hydrogen-powered vehicles, suggesting a potential error or interruption during the content generation