AI engineering glossary · Agents tools MCP
What is tool overload?
Tool overload: The drop in accuracy that happens when an agent is offered too many tools at once, because the descriptions fill the context window and similar tools confuse the model. Common fixes are grouping tools, retrieving only relevant ones, or splitting work across specialised agents.
Tool overload: an example
An agent given 150 tools keeps calling the wrong one; limiting each request to the ten most relevant tools fixes most errors.
Related terms
More Agents tools MCP terms
Where you learn it
Tool overload is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.