AI Engineer. Barry Zhang on three rules — don't build an agent when a workflow would do, keep the loop as simple as possible, and "think like your agent" (sit in its context window and notice that it is making decisions in the dark between screenshots). The simplicity argument and the "is this task even worth an agent" checklist are exactly the discipline the article asks for.
The 'is this task even worth an agent' checklist is the same discipline the article asks for — apply it before writing any code, not after.
Design simpler agent loops with clear stopping rules, task boundaries and human control points.
Have built or at least specced an agent; the talk assumes you know why loops run away.
Last reviewed: May 18, 2026
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