Foundry agent defined declaratively as a model, instructions and a set of tools; Foundry hosts and runs it, so there is no code or container to look after.
Read more: Microsoft Learn
In the Ultra Transcenders books
Each book explains Prompt agent in context, with comparison tables and the common traps.
Terms in this definition
- Agent
A specialised form of Microsoft Copilot set up for one particular job, pairing instructions with knowledge and skills. You can create one in Copilot Studio, SharePoint or Agent Builder, and administrators control them from the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Set
Secret permission in Key Vault for writing secrets; some older material refers to it as Create.
- Agents (classic) API
First-generation Foundry Agent Service API, based on threads, messages and runs. It is deprecated, replaced by conversations and responses, and retires on 31 March 2027.
- Container
Something that groups data. Blob Storage containers sit inside a storage account and hold blobs much as folders hold files; Cosmos DB containers hold items and set the scope for partitioning and throughput.
Related terms
- PromptAgentDefinition
Object in the Foundry SDK describing a prompt agent's model, instructions and tools (a memory search tool, for instance); you pass it to
agents.create_version. - Voice-based prompt agent
A Foundry prompt agent, set up with a model, instructions, tools and audio settings, that users converse with through Voice Live, so you don't run voice orchestration yourself.