AI Agent Tool-Use Limits: The Cost of Architectural Choices

When I tried to automate supply chain integrations with AI agents in a manufacturing ERP, everything seemed perfect at first. The agent was supposed to analyze incoming orders, check stock levels, call the supplier API for new raw material orders if necessary, and update the production plan. On paper, this flow would reduce manual intervention by 70%. However, when it came to the tool-use part, meaning when the agent needed to interact with the outside world, the expected "magic" automation was replaced by complex architectural choices and their accompanying operational costs.