Think fast

Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) vs Fine-Tuning

Retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and fine-tuning are two of the key techniques that we can use to improve the output of AI-powered tools within a specific domain. However, they are far from interchangeable. Indeed, each one is a distinct technique, with its own use cases, benefits, challenges, and requirements. Today, we’re exploring what each one is, where they differ, and how we can leverage them within our own development projects.

Ronan McQuillan

Jun 25, 2025

9 AI Agent Tools for 2025

AI agents are one of the most transformative new technologies we’ve seen in decades. Because of this, teams in all industries are rushing to implement agentic solutions. At the same time, a huge number of vendors have come to market with tools for building and managing AI agents. However, these can vary greatly. On the one hand, there are highly developer-focused platforms and frameworks, while on the other, there are no-code tools, aimed at non-technical colleagues.

Ronan McQuillan

Jun 23, 2025

Chatbot APIs vs WebSockets

With the ongoing rise of generative AI, chatbots are becoming more and more prevalent. This includes a huge range of use cases across all industries. Chatbots are also becoming more sophisticated, including taking autonomous actions based on conversations with users. So, developers must be familiar with the tools and techniques that are required to output chatbot solutions. Today, we’re diving deep into an important subtopic within this, by checking out two of the most common communications techniques we’re going to encounter - Chatbot APIs and WebSockets.

Ronan McQuillan

Jun 13, 2025

Generative AI vs Agentic AI | Use Cases, Tool Stacks & Benefits

Agentic AI is one of the hottest topics in the world of enterprise technology. This is leading businesses in all industries to rush to adopt AI agents, in pursuit of efficiency gains and enhanced accuracy within workflows. However, as with any other new technology, it’s vital that we have a firm grasp of the key concepts that underpin it. Today, we’re exploring one of the most important elements to this by examining the relationship between generative AI and agentic AI, including what each one is, how they work, when they’re used, and where they overlap.

Ronan McQuillan

May 30, 2025

10 Agentic AI Use Cases

Agentic AI is probably the hottest topic in the world of enterprise IT. In fact, software vendors in just about every niche have added agentic AI features to their products over the past couple of years. However, in the real world, adopting AI agents isn’t such a straightforward process. On the one hand, many teams struggle to determine the right tools for their needs in a fast-evolving market. On the other hand, in their rush to roll out solutions, some companies lose sight of the need for provable ROI.

Ronan McQuillan

May 23, 2025

What is Tool Calling?

Currently, interest in agentic AI is exploding. IT teams in all industries are rushing to implement solutions that utilize autonomous agents to power workflows. This not only requires AI models that can perform reasoning, but ones that can also take action based on this. That’s where tool calling comes in. Tool calling, also sometimes referred to as function calling, is what enables an agentic AI system to interact with connected tools, services, and resources in order to perform tasks within workflows.

Ronan McQuillan

May 19, 2025

6 Self-Hosted & Local LLMs

With fast-advancing technology, running AI models locally is no longer the preserve of massive enterprises or researchers. Today, smaller businesses and even hobbyists are also leveraging self-hosted LLMs within development projects. Thanks to advances in model quantization, local runtimes and runners, and smaller yet highly capable models, it’s increasingly viable to run LLMs in cloud containers or even consumer hardware. But, of course, this introduces a range of challenges. One of the biggest is choosing the right model for our needs.

Ronan McQuillan

May 14, 2025

What are NLP Applications? + 5 Real-World Examples

Natural language processing is revolutionizing the way humans interact with software tools. Not only that, the increasing prevalence of AI is opening up the door to a huge range of transformative use cases that would be almost impossible with traditional automation tools. Of course, this isn’t news. We constantly hear how AI is reshaping just about all aspects of how businesses operate. Today, we’re thinking about this in more practical terms by checking out some of the most prevalent NLP applications that you can build and deploy right now.

Ronan McQuillan

May 9, 2025