Basics

The AI SDK for Python is built around a small set of primitives. Each primitive does one job and uses regular Python values where possible, so you can combine the SDK with your own application code instead of moving your code into a framework-specific shape.

What you can build

Start with the model call, then add the pieces your app needs:

• Stream text or structured JSON from a model.
• Generate images, video, and speech with dedicated models.
• Embed text, transcribe audio, and rerank documents.
• Send images, audio, documents, and generated files through messages.
• Define Python tools and let an agent execute them.
• Pause tools for approval with hooks.
• Run subagents as tools and stream their output.
• Bridge agent streams to AI SDK UI clients over Server-Sent Events (SSE).

Main primitives

• Model identifies the provider model to call.
• Message carries conversation history as typed parts.
• ai.stream yields model events and aggregates the assistant message.
• ai.ops runs dedicated model operations that return standalone values.
• @ai.tool exposes Python functions to models.
• Agent runs the stream -> tool -> stream loop.
• ai.hook pauses a workflow for external input.

Example map

Focused samples live in category directories under examples/:

• examples/models/stream.py streams text from a model.
• examples/models/generate.py returns a buffered model response.
• examples/media/image_generation.py generates images.
• examples/media/embeddings.py embeds text.
• examples/media/transcription.py transcribes audio.
• examples/media/reranking.py reranks documents.
• examples/agents/basic.py runs the default agent loop.
• examples/agents/custom_loop.py overrides Agent.loop.
• examples/agents/streaming_tool.py streams partial output from a tool.
• examples/agents/subagent.py runs a subagent as a tool.

End-to-end demos live in examples/apps/web_agent, examples/apps/coding_agent, examples/apps/durable_agent_temporal, examples/apps/durable_agent_workflows, and examples/apps/slack_agent.