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Anam Malik
Anam Malik

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My Learning Journey & Reflections

  1. Introduction to Agents

This part helped me understand what an AI agent actually is. Earlier, I only thought of an agent as something that “answers questions,” but through the intensive, I learned that an agent is a whole system that observes, plans, reasons, and takes actions. I learned how agents break down problems, how their workflows are structured, and how different components work together. This foundation completely changed the way I think about AI systems.

  1. Agent Tools & Interoperability with Model Context Protocol (MCP)

This was one of the most eye-opening sections for me. I learned how agents use external tools instead of relying only on model outputs. Understanding MCP taught me how tools, models, and memory can communicate cleanly through a shared protocol.
Before this, I never knew how an AI interacts with files, APIs, or custom tools — but now I understand how tool-calling works, why standardization matters, and how interoperability makes an agent more reliable and scalable.

  1. Context Engineering: Sessions & Memory

This part made me realise how important context is for an agent. I learned how sessions maintain continuity, how memory is stored, and how context shapes the agent’s final output.
I used to think memory was just “saving information,” but now I understand that there are intentional structures behind it — like long-term vs. short-term context, user-specific information, and how agents decide what to remember or forget.
This changed my understanding of personalized AI entirely.

  1. Agent Quality

This section taught me how to evaluate whether an agent is actually good.
I learned about:

reliability

safety

reasoning quality

predictability

error handling

and user experience

I discovered that building an agent isn’t just about making it work — it’s about making it work consistently and responsibly.
This part made me more careful about designing prompts, workflows, and instructions.

  1. Prototype to Production

This was the section where everything came together.
I learned how to take an idea, build a working prototype, fix the broken parts, refine the workflow, and finally shape it into something stable enough for real use.
It taught me how to:

iterate quickly

test repeatedly

organize workflows

and prepare an agent for real-world scenarios

Understanding this process made my capstone project much easier because I learned how to turn a rough idea into an actual functioning agent.One of the things I also discovered during this journey was how Kaggle structures its learning system. Before joining the AI Agents Intensive, I had no idea that Kaggle offered so many free, well-designed courses. They have an entire collection of micro-courses that cover almost everything — from the basics of programming to more advanced AI topics.

I explored a lot of these courses, and I was honestly surprised by how practical and easy to follow they were. Kaggle has courses on Python, SQL, Machine Learning, Data Visualization, Pandas, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Time Series, and even topics like AI Ethics and Geospatial Analysis. Each course is short, hands-on, and focused on real understanding instead of just theory.

What I really liked was how each course was connected to a bigger learning path.
They start with simple things like programming basics or SQL, and then slowly move into more complex areas like feature engineering, model explainability, and deep learning workflows.

These courses also give badges and certificates when you complete them, which makes the whole process feel motivating. But more than certificates, I felt that these courses gave me confidence. They showed me that learning AI doesn’t always require expensive programs — sometimes the right structure and clear explanations are all you need.

Going through these courses side by side with my intensive helped me understand things more deeply. They became like supportive pillars that filled the gaps in my knowledge wherever I needed extra help.Final Reflection & Thank You

The AI Agents Intensive was not just a course for me; it was a journey of growth. It taught me skills, patience, confidence, and a new way of thinking.

Thank you to Kaggle, the mentors, and the entire community for creating such an impactful and accessible program. I’m proud to have been a part of this journey, and I’m excited for what comes next.
When I joined the AI Agents Intensive, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I enrolled because I was curious about how AI agents really work behind the scenes, and I wanted to learn something that could actually help me build things on my own. I started with excitement, but also with a little fear — “Will I even understand all this?”
Now that I’m at the end of the intensive, I can say that this was one of the most meaningful learning experiences I’ve had.

Why I Joined the Intensive

I’ve always seen AI as something very big and complicated. I used to think only experts or people with strong technical backgrounds could understand it. But when I read about this program, something clicked. It felt like a chance to finally understand what happens inside these systems we use every day — not just as a user, but as a creator.

I wanted to learn through real tasks, real examples, and hands-on work instead of just reading theory. That’s why I joined.

What I Learned

Throughout the intensive, I realised that AI agents are much more than just “smart code.”
I learned how an agent:

observes

thinks

makes decisions

uses tools

and stores memory

Before this course, these words had no real meaning to me. Now they make sense because I used them in actual exercises.

Learning Tools & Techniques

I enjoyed working with prompts, tools, and different reasoning steps. Sometimes things worked on the first try, sometimes they didn’t, but every time I learned something new. I also got to understand how tool calling works and why designing the right workflow is so important.

My Capstone Experience

The capstone project was the most challenging part for me, but also the most rewarding.
When I first started building it, I didn’t know how to connect all the steps. I kept facing small problems — the agent wasn’t answering the way I expected, or I’d forget to structure something correctly.

But slowly, things improved.

I changed my prompts again and again.
I tested different ideas.
I fixed the mistakes I made.

By the end, when my agent finally worked the way I wanted, I felt genuinely proud. Not because it was perfect, but because I built it myself. That feeling was the best part of the whole intensive.

Challenges I Faced

There were definitely moments where I felt stuck. Some lessons were harder to understand. Some tasks confused me at first. And sometimes I wondered if I would even finish the capstone.

But these challenges taught me patience.
I learned that in AI, you don’t get everything right on the first attempt. You have to keep trying, experimenting, and updating your approach until it finally clicks.

And when it does, the effort feels worth it.

What Impacted Me the Most

What I liked the most about this intensive was how everything was so practical. Instead of only explaining things, the program made me do them.

I really appreciated:

the real-life examples

the simple explanations

the way everything slowly built up

and the chance to experiment freely

It made AI feel less scary and more exciting.

How This Journey Changed Me

Before this course, I didn’t think I could ever build something with AI on my own. Now I know I can. This intensive didn’t just teach me technical concepts — it gave me confidence.

Now I genuinely feel:

I can understand AI systems

I can create workflows

I can design prompts responsibly

and I can keep learning more

This experience changed the way I see myself as a learner.

What I Want to Do Next

After completing the intensive, I don’t want to stop here.
I want to explore more about:

automation with agents

better prompt engineering

data science basics

building helpful tools

and understanding more advanced workflows

This program gave me a starting point, and now I want to keep moving forward.

Final Thoughts

The AI Agents Intensive wasn’t just a course for me — it was a journey.
A journey full of small wins, confusion, experiments, and growth. I’m really grateful to the Kaggle team, the mentors, and everyone who made this program so approachable and friendly.

Thank you for creating something that makes people like me believe that we can learn AI, even if we start with zero experience.
I’m proud to have been part of this intensive, and I’m excited to see where this learning will take me next.Another important part of my learning came from understanding the core topics covered in the intensive. Each section added a new layer to my knowledge and helped me move from being a beginner to someone who can actually design and reason about agents.

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