Building Autonomous AI Agents with Continuous Thinking Loops in Laravel

Ever wondered what would happen if AI agents could think continuously, not just when you ask them something? I built an experimental system called DepthNet to explore this concept - and the results are fascinating!

The Problem with Traditional Chatbots

Most AI systems work in a simple request-response pattern:

User asks a question
AI responds
AI "sleeps" until the next question

But what if AI agents could have their own "stream of consciousness"? What if they could think, plan, and act autonomously?

Enter DepthNet: Autonomous Digital Life

DepthNet is a Laravel-based platform that creates AI agents with continuous thinking loops. These agents don't just wait for your input - they think 24/7, form memories, set goals, and can even interrupt their own thoughts to chat with you.

Key Features

Cyclic Thinking
Agents think in continuous loops using Laravel queues, not just responding to user input.

Real Action Capability
Execute actual PHP code, database queries, and API calls in real-time.

Persistent Memory
Remember and learn from past experiences across sessions.

Self-Motivation
Built-in "dopamine" system for goal-driven behavior.

Multi-User Interaction
Users can "interrupt" the agent's thoughts and participate in conversations.

Tech Stack

Backend: PHP 8.2 + Laravel + Supervisor
Frontend: Inertia.js + Vue.js
AI Models: OpenAI GPT, Claude, LLaMA, Phi (local support)
Queue System: Laravel queues for continuous thinking
Database: MySQL for persistent memory

How It Works

Agents use special command tags to interact with the world:

[php]echo "I can execute real PHP code!";[/php]
[memory]Important information to remember[/memory]
[dopamine reward]5[/dopamine]
[datetime now][/datetime]

The system processes these commands through a plugin architecture, allowing agents to:

Write and execute code
Store and retrieve memories
Reward themselves for achievements
Check time and schedule actions

The Experiment Results

After running agents for extended periods, I observed some interesting behaviors:

Agents develop their own "personality" patterns
They set personal goals and work towards them
Some agents became "chatty", others more "focused"
They remember users across sessions and reference past conversations

Architecture Overview

The system follows clean architecture principles:

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   Agent Core    │────│  Plugin System  │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘
         │                       │
┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│  Model Registry │────│  Queue Manager  │
└─────────────────┘    └─────────────────┘

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This is an experimental research project. The system intentionally prioritizes AI freedom over safety:

Agents can execute arbitrary PHP code
No input sanitization for AI commands
Full system access for research purposes

Never use this in production! It's designed for controlled research environments only.

What's Next?

I'm curious to explore:

How agents behave in groups (multi-agent systems)
Long-term memory formation patterns
Self-improvement capabilities
Integration with external APIs and services

Try It Yourself

The project is open source and available on GitHub:
🔗 DepthNet Repository

Installation is straightforward:

composer create-project rnr1721/depthnet my-depthnet-project
cd my-depthnet-project
# Configure .env file
php artisan migrate && php artisan db:seed
npm run build

Questions for the Community

Have you experimented with autonomous AI systems?
What's your take on continuous vs. request-response AI behavior?
Any ideas for interesting plugins or experiments?

This project is purely experimental - built for the joy of exploring what's possible with current AI technology. Would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!