Building AI Agents: 7 Key Takeaways from OpenAI’s Practical Guide

Let’s be honest — AI agents still sound futuristic to most people. A digital worker that doesn’t just reply but thinks, acts, and gets things done? It feels like something out of sci-fi. But OpenAI’s 34-page Practical Guide to Building Agents breaks it down step by step—and shows just how real and accessible these tools have become.

At TaysMedia AI, we’re big believers in agents because we’ve built them ourselves. They’re not just a service we offer—they’re part of how we run our own business.

Let’s break down the 7 key takeaways from OpenAI’s Practical Guide to Building Agents — and why we think agents are a game-changer for SMEs.

1. What Are Agents? (they’re More Than Just a Chatbot)

An AI agent is like a digital team member who does the work, not just talks about it. Unlike a chatbot that might answer FAQs, an agent takes action—booking appointments, following up with leads, pulling data, sending reports. It makes decisions, uses tools, and completes tasks from start to finish.

Think of it as an assistant who doesn’t sleep, doesn’t take breaks, and never forgets to follow up.

2. When Should You Use an Agent?

Agents are best for complex, repetitive tasks that eat up time but follow predictable steps.
Some great examples:

• Lead qualification and follow-up

• Scheduling appointments

• Summarising reports or emails

• Pulling info from different systems and sending updates

If you’ve got a process that you (or your team) do over and over again—an agent can likely take it over.

3. Design Foundations (How to Build a Good One)

The best agents aren’t built on fancy tech alone—they’re built on good design. This means being clear on:

• What the agent’s job is

• What tools it can use (calendar, email, CRM, etc.)

• What success looks like (e.g., booking a call, sending a report)

If you don’t design it well, you get an agent that either tries to do too much—or doesn’t know when to ask for help.

4. Single Agent vs Multi-Agent Systems

Sometimes one agent is enough to handle a task (like qualifying a lead). Other times, you might need multiple agents working together.

Picture this: one agent handles incoming messages, another schedules appointments, and another generates reports. They each have a role, and together they create a smooth process.

Start with one—and add more as your needs grow.

5. Guardrails for Safety (Keep It on Track)

AI agents are smart, but they need boundaries. Guardrails are rules that tell the agent:

• What it can do

• What it shouldn’t do

• When to escalate to a human

This keeps things safe, reliable, and predictable—especially when agents are handling sensitive tasks like customer service or scheduling.

6. Human-in-the-Loop Fallbacks

No AI should be left entirely on its own.

Good systems always include a human-in-the-loop—someone who steps in if the agent gets stuck, doesn’t know the answer, or needs approval for something important.

It’s like having a supervisor who’s there just in case—giving you the best of both worlds (automation + human judgment).

7. Start Small. Scale Smart.

One of the most important lessons from OpenAI’s guide (and from our own experience): start small.

Don’t try to build a do-it-all agent right out of the gate.
Start with one task—something simple but valuable—then expand. That way, you get quick wins, learn what works, and scale up without the overwhelm.

For example at TaysMedia AI, that’s exactly what we did with our very first builds:

• First, we prioritised leads given the acquisition opportunity they presented — and built a lead qualification agent that handles inquiries and follows up with them.

• Then we looked to internally, optimising our internal operations so that as we scale we have a robust foundation with all the bases covered — and built a content generation agent for our clients on retainer. Ensuring they’re looked after as we set our sights on expanding.

Final Thoughts

Agents are here, they’re practical, and they’re making businesses like ours run smoother every day. Whether you’re a small business owner juggling too many tasks or a larger team looking to streamline operations, an agent could be the support you didn’t know you needed.

Want to explore how an AI agent could fit into your business?
Reach out for a discovery call. Let’s start small, build smart, and free up your time for what really matters.