Function Calling
Capability of an LLM to invoke external functions (APIs, code) to perform real actions.
Function calling allows an LLM to return a structured call to a function (with name and parameters) instead of just text. It is the mechanism that transforms a chatbot into an AI Agent capable of interacting with external systems.
Practical examples
- Chatbot booking appointments via API
- Agent querying databases
- Assistant sending emails
- AI Trading bot