CrewAI Tutorial - Next Generation AI Agent Teams (Fully Local)

Matthew Berman
5 Jan 202410:38

TLDRThis video introduces Crew AI, an open-source alternative to Autogen that enables automatic task execution by agent teams. It supports role-based agent design, autonomous task delegation, and flexible task management. The tutorial demonstrates how to install Crew AI, set it up using both GPT-4 and a local model with Olama, and create a simple workflow for researching AI trends and writing a blog post. The video also teases upcoming content on more complex use cases, including custom tool creation and advanced delegation.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 Crew AI is an open-source alternative to Autogen that automates task execution across agent teams.
  • 🌟 Crew AI has gained popularity with 1300+ stars on GitHub and active community contributions.
  • 🔧 Installation is straightforward, requiring only a pip install command.
  • 🎯 It features role-based agent design, allowing for customization of agents with specific roles, goals, and tools.
  • 🤝 Agents can autonomously delegate tasks to enhance problem-solving efficiency.
  • 📋 Crew AI supports flexible task management, though it currently focuses on sequential task execution.
  • 🔗 It has native support for Lang chain, offering a wide range of functionalities out of the box.
  • 🔑 Users can power Crew AI using OpenAI's GPT-4 or local models through Olama.
  • 📝 The tutorial demonstrates setting up a team of agents for AI trend research and blog post creation.
  • 🛠️ The script provides a step-by-step guide on defining agents, tasks, and the crew process.
  • 🔄 Crew AI allows for chaining tasks together, enabling agents to delegate and collaborate as needed.
  • 🎥 A follow-up video is planned to showcase more complex use cases, including custom tools and advanced delegation.

Q & A

  • What is Crew AI and how does it differ from Autogen?

    -Crew AI is an open-source alternative to Autogen that allows users to set up agent teams to execute tasks automatically. It supports role-based agent design, autonomous inter-agent delegation, and flexible task management. Unlike Autogen, Crew AI provides more control over task delegation and is process-driven, supporting sequential task execution with more complex processes in development.

  • How can you install Crew AI?

    -Crew AI can be installed using pip with the command 'pip install crew'. The installation process is straightforward and does not require creating a new environment.

  • What are the key features of Crew AI?

    -Crew AI's key features include role-based agent design, autonomous inter-agent delegation, flexible task management, and process-driven execution. It also has native support for Lang chain, allowing for enhanced functionality.

  • How does Crew AI handle task delegation?

    -null

  • What is the role of the researcher agent in the provided script?

    -In the script, the researcher agent is assigned the role of researching new AI insights. It is given a specific goal and a backstory, and it is set to not delegate tasks.

  • What is the role of the writer agent?

    -The writer agent is responsible for writing compelling and engaging blog posts about AI trends and insights. Like the researcher, it has a defined role, goal, and backstory, and is also set to not delegate tasks.

  • How does Crew AI support the use of local models?

    -Crew AI can be powered using local models through the use of olama, which allows for running multiple models simultaneously on basic consumer hardware. This enables users to run Crew AI without relying on cloud-based models like GPT-4.

  • What is the purpose of the 'verbose' parameter in Crew AI?

    -The 'verbose' parameter in Crew AI controls the level of detail provided during the execution of tasks. Setting it to a higher value, such as 2, will give more information about the agent's actions and the progress of tasks.

  • How does the process of creating a blog post about AI trends work in Crew AI?

    -The process involves creating a researcher agent to investigate AI trends and a writer agent to create a blog post. The researcher's findings are passed to the writer, who then composes the blog post. This process is managed and executed by Crew AI.

  • What is the significance of the 'sequential' process in Crew AI?

    -The 'sequential' process in Crew AI means that tasks are executed one after another in a predefined order. This is the current process supported by Crew AI, with more complex processes like consensual and hierarchical being developed.

  • What is the role of the 'Monster API' mentioned in the script?

    -Monster API is mentioned as a cost-effective solution for integrating the latest AI models. It allows users to generate images at a fraction of the cost compared to other services, specifically mentioning a reduced cost for generating images using SDXL.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to Crew AI

This paragraph introduces Crew AI, an open-source alternative to autogen that enables the setup of agent teams to execute tasks automatically. It supports local models and Lang chain, offering extensive functionality out of the box. The script outlines the process of installing Crew AI, setting it up, and exploring its features, such as role-based agent design, autonomous inter-agent delegation, and flexible task management. The video also mentions a follow-up video that will cover more complex features like creating custom tools and using Lang chain tools for caching and complex delegation.

05:01

📝 Setting Up Crew AI and Tasks

The second paragraph details the setup process of Crew AI, including installing it via pip, importing necessary libraries, and defining agents with specific roles, goals, and backstory. It explains how to create tasks, assign agents to these tasks, and instantiate the crew. The paragraph also demonstrates how to use GPT-4 and local models with the help of olama, showcasing the ease of chaining tasks together and the delegation capabilities of Crew AI. The script concludes with a brief mention of future tutorials on more sophisticated use cases.

10:02

🚀 Running Crew AI Locally

The final paragraph focuses on running Crew AI entirely locally by using the Open Hermes model with olama. It guides through the process of downloading and setting up the local model, assigning it to agents, and running the tasks without relying on GPT-4. The paragraph emphasizes the flexibility of Crew AI in using different models for different agents and the potential for future tutorials that will explore creating custom tools and complex delegation strategies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Crew AI

Crew AI is an open-source alternative to Autogen that enables the creation of agent teams to execute tasks automatically. It is highlighted in the video for its ease of use, flexibility, and the ability to support Lang chain for enhanced functionality. The video demonstrates how to install, set up, and use Crew AI for a simple task involving research and writing a blog post.

💡Autogen

Autogen is mentioned as a comparison to Crew AI, indicating that Crew AI offers improvements over Autogen, particularly in the area of task delegation and agent customization. The video suggests that Crew AI provides a more streamlined and flexible experience for users looking to automate tasks.

💡Open Source

Open source refers to software whose source code is made available to the public, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the code. Crew AI being open source means that it can be freely used, modified, and improved upon by the community, which is a key selling point highlighted in the video.

💡Lang Chain

Lang Chain is a tool that supports Crew AI, providing additional functionality and allowing for the creation of more complex tasks and delegation. It is mentioned as a feature that enhances the capabilities of Crew AI, enabling the use of local models and custom tools.

💡Task Delegation

Task delegation is a feature in Crew AI that allows agents to autonomously assign tasks to other agents, improving efficiency and problem-solving capabilities. This is a key difference between Crew AI and Autogen, as it provides more control and flexibility in how tasks are managed.

💡Process-Driven

Process-driven refers to an approach where tasks are executed in a specific order or sequence, as defined by a process. In the context of Crew AI, it means that tasks are executed sequentially, with more complex processes like consensual and hierarchical being developed.

💡GPT-4

GPT-4 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4) is an advanced language model that can generate human-like text. In the video, GPT-4 is used as the default language model for Crew AI agents, enabling them to perform tasks like researching and writing blog posts.

💡Olama

Olama is a tool that allows users to run multiple language models simultaneously. It is used in the video to demonstrate how Crew AI can be powered by a local model, such as Open Hermes, instead of relying on cloud-based models like GPT-4.

💡Sequential Task Execution

Sequential task execution is a method where tasks are performed one after another in a predefined order. In Crew AI, this means that agents follow a set sequence to complete their tasks, which is the current process implementation in the system.

💡API Key

An API key is a unique code that allows access to a specific application programming interface (API). In the video, the API key is used to authenticate and enable the use of OpenAI's GPT-4 model within Crew AI.

💡Local Model

A local model refers to a language model that is hosted and run on the user's own hardware, as opposed to cloud-based models. In the video, using a local model like Open Hermes with Olama is shown as an alternative to using GPT-4, offering users more control over their data and computational resources.

Highlights

Crew AI is an open-source alternative to Autogen that allows setting up agent teams to execute tasks automatically.

Crew AI supports native Lang chain functionality, offering a lot of functionality out of the box.

Crew AI has gained popularity with 1300 stars and many forks on GitHub.

The author of Crew AI is rapidly adding new functionalities.

Crew AI features role-based agent design, allowing customization with specific roles, goals, and tools.

Agents in Crew AI can autonomously delegate tasks and inquire amongst themselves, enhancing problem-solving efficiency.

Crew AI has flexible task management and is process-driven, currently supporting sequential task execution with more complex processes in development.

The tutorial demonstrates how to install and set up Crew AI, as well as how to use it with both GPT-4 and a local model.

Crew AI allows for the creation of agents with specific roles, such as a researcher and a writer, each with their own goals and backstory.

The tutorial shows how to define tasks and assign them to specific agents, which is easier than in Autogen.

Crew AI enables the chaining of tasks together, allowing agents to delegate to each other when necessary.

The video demonstrates creating a team to research AI trends and write a blog post, showcasing the ease of using Crew AI.

Crew AI can be powered by OpenAI's GPT-4 or local models using Olama, offering flexibility in model usage.

The tutorial includes instructions on how to set an API key for OpenAI, which is used by default in Crew AI.

The video provides a follow-up plan to show more complex use cases, including creating custom tools and using Lang chain tools.

Crew AI's ease of use is emphasized, with a focus on its potential for more sophisticated applications in future tutorials.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to suggest use cases for the next Crew AI tutorial.