The Agent Loop Is Unsettling
nonadhocproblem · hn · 2026-07-15
This is a discussion about AI agents: the author admits they are useful, but remains uneasy about the "agent loop."
The core concern is that an agent repeatedly makes decisions, modifies files, runs commands, reads errors, and continues patching, potentially drifting from the original objective without realizing it. The author compares the experience to giving a junior engineer shell access, vague requirements, and infinite confidence. The ultimate question is: In what situations can agents be automated, and when should they absolutely be kept away from production environments?
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