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A research agent usually needs two distinct capabilities:
  1. Retrieval of current or authoritative sources.
  2. Model reasoning to compare, summarize, and explain the evidence.
Do not use model inference alone for claims that depend on current information.

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Choose the research surface

Use a Skill when the workflow is reusable and the agent should follow an established process. Use direct APIs when the application needs to control source selection, sequencing, caching, or ranking itself.

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1. Define the research question

Specify:
  • The exact decision or claim the research should support.
  • The required time range.
  • Preferred source types or domains.
  • Geographic or language constraints.
  • The expected output and citation format.

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2. Retrieve before synthesizing

Use search results for discovery, then fetch the source pages needed as evidence.
Do not treat snippets, model memory, or a generated answer as equivalent to a primary source.

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3. Compare sources

For material claims:
  • Prefer official documentation, filings, original announcements, or primary datasets.
  • Record publication dates and source URLs.
  • Identify contradictions instead of silently merging them.
  • Mark claims that remain uncertain or depend on one source.

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4. Use a model for synthesis

After retrieval, pass the relevant evidence to a supported model. Ask it to separate:
  • Verified facts.
  • Interpretation.
  • Open questions.
  • Recommendations.
The model should not invent citations or claim access to sources that were not retrieved.

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5. Verify the output

Before delivering the result:
  • Confirm each important citation resolves to the intended source.
  • Recheck time-sensitive numbers.
  • Remove unsupported claims.
  • State the research cutoff time.

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Minimal documentation set

An agent building this workflow should normally read only: Do not ingest the entire API reference unless the task truly needs broad endpoint discovery.

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When AIsa may not be necessary

A single specialized search provider may be simpler when the workflow uses one source type, does not need reusable Skills, and already has an established model and billing integration. For product-fit guidance, see When to use AIsa.