AI Agents in Action versus AI Engineering.
Both show up on every "best" list. They're not competitors. They're a sequence. Here's which one to read first, and when.
Reviewed by Ashish Sheth · Updated April 2026
Author
Micheal Lanham
Chip Huyen
Pages
344
532
Published
2025
2025
Publisher
Manning Publications
O'Reilly Media
Level
intermediate
intermediate
Amazon Rating
4.1/5 (35)
4.4/5 (899)
Goodreads Rating
3.11/5 (74)
4.4/5 (1,061)
AI Agents in Action
Strengths
+ Practical, code-first approach with runnable examples throughout
+ Manning's quality editing makes it more readable than rushed competitors
+ Covers OpenAI Assistants, AutoGen, and LangChain in one volume
+ Author's game-AI background brings useful patterns (behavior trees) to LLM agents
Caveats
− Some readers find the OpenAI Assistants focus dating quickly
− Coverage of newer agent frameworks (LangGraph, CrewAI) is thinner than expected
− Code examples occasionally hit API breakage as providers evolve
AI Engineering
Strengths
+ Clear, accessible explanations of complex AI/ML concepts
+ Practical and implementation-focused rather than theoretical
+ Well-researched with extensive references to current literature
+ Excellent for software engineers transitioning into AI development
Caveats
− Inconsistent depth: some topics feel surface-level for experienced practitioners
− Limited practical code examples
− Breadth-first approach means some topics lack deep coverage
The verdict
AI Engineering is the stronger pick overall, but AI Agents in Action may suit you better if you're a developers building their first AI agents.
AI Agents in Action
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AI Engineering
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Frequently asked
Which is better, AI Agents in Action or AI Engineering?
AI Engineering is the stronger pick overall, but AI Agents in Action may suit you better if you're a developers building their first AI agents.
How is AI Agents in Action different from Building Agentic AI Systems?
Lanham's book is more code-first and beginner-friendly. Biswas/Talukdar's book is more architectural and patterns-focused. Read Lanham to build, Biswas to design.
Is AI Engineering good for beginners?
You need some software engineering experience. It's not a learn-to-code book. But you don't need a PhD in ML either. If you can write Python and understand APIs, you'll follow along.