Tool Use Loop
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
A tool use loop is when an AI agent gets stuck calling the same tool over and over. It reads a file, reads it again, reads it again. Something's off and it can't figure out what. Budget caps save you.
Real Talk
A tool use loop is a failure mode where an AI agent enters a repetitive cycle of calling the same tool (often with identical or near-identical arguments) without making progress. Caused by errors the model can't resolve, missing feedback, or ambiguous task state. Mitigations: iteration caps, loop detection, and providing explicit stopping conditions.
When You'll Hear This
"Agent got stuck in a tool use loop — capped at 50 iterations." / "Detect identical successive tool calls and break the loop."
Related Terms
Agent Deadlock
Agent deadlock is when two or more AI agents wait on each other forever. Agent A waits for Agent B's response. Agent B waits for Agent A's. Neither moves.
Tool Use
Tool use is when an AI can call external functions, APIs, or programs to do things it can't do alone.