OpenAI: Multi-Agent Portfolio Collaboration with OpenAI Agents SDK

Summary of https://cookbook.openai.com/examples/agents_sdk/multi-agent-portfolio-collaboration/multi_agent_portfolio_collaboration

Introduces a multi-agent system built using the OpenAI Agents SDK for complex investment research. It outlines an "agent as a tool" pattern where a central Portfolio Manager agent orchestrates specialized agents (Fundamental, Macro, Quantitative) and various tools to analyze market data and generate investment reports.

The text highlights the modularity, parallelism, and transparency offered by this architecture for building robust and scalable agent workflows. It details the different tool types supported by the SDK and provides an example output of the system in action, emphasizing the importance of structured prompts and tracing for building effective agent systems.

• Complex tasks can be broken down and delegated to multiple specialist agents for deeper, higher-quality results. Instead of using a single agent for everything, multi-agent collaboration allows different autonomous agents to handle specific subtasks or expertise areas. In the investment research example, specialists like Macro, Fundamental, and Quantitative agents contribute their expertise, leading to a more nuanced and robust answer synthesized by a Portfolio Manager agent.

• The "Agent as a Tool" pattern is a powerful approach for transparent and scalable multi-agent systems. This model involves a central agent (like the Portfolio Manager) calling other agents as tools for specific subtasks, maintaining a single thread of control and simplifying coordination. This approach is used in the provided example and allows for parallel execution of sub-tasks, making the overall reasoning transparent and auditable.

• The OpenAI Agents SDK supports a variety of tool types, offering flexibility in extending agent capabilities.Agents can leverage built-in managed tools like Code Interpreter and WebSearch, connect to external services via MCP servers (like for Yahoo Finance data), and use custom Python functions (like for FRED economic data or file operations) defined with the function_tool decorator. This broad tool support allows agents to perform advanced actions and access domain-specific data.

• Structured prompts and careful orchestration are crucial for building robust and consistent multi-agent workflows. The Head Portfolio Manager agent's system prompt encodes the firm's philosophy, tool usage rules, and a step-by-step workflow, ensuring consistency and auditability across runs. Modularity, parallel execution (enabled by features like parallel_tool_calls=True), and clear tool definitions are highlighted as best practices enabled by the SDK.

• The system design emphasizes modularity, extensibility, and observability. By wrapping specialist agents as callable tools and structuring the workflow with a central coordinator, it's easier to update, test, or add new agents or tools. OpenAI Traces provide detailed visibility into every agent and tool call, making the workflow fully transparent and easier to debug.