The inbox is where good work goes to die, so we set out to build an agent that rescues your time and turns email chaos into clear action. We walk through a minimum viable toolchain that small teams can master fast, then ship a working email triage agent that classifies intent, routes messages to the right systems, and lays the groundwork for smart replies.

TLDR / At a Glance:

• mapping the platform shift to agentic AI
• code-first vs low-code toolchain choices
• LangChain for chains, LangGraph for graphs
• vector databases as semantic memory
• n8n workflow for Gmail, models, routing
• Airtable for configuration and analytics
• email triage perceive-think-act loop
• production needs for execution, errors, monitoring, security
• roadmap from single-task to multi-step workflows

We start by drawing a hard line between reactive chatbots and true agents that perceive, think, and act. From there, we weigh code-first control against low-code speed: Python with LangChain and LangGraph for custom, stateful orchestration, or n8n and Airtable for visual workflows and business-owned configuration. You’ll hear how chains handle linear tasks, how graphs enable branching and shared state, and why vector databases act as memory palaces that understand meaning rather than matching keywords.

The build centres on a simple loop. Perceive an incoming email, think by constraining the model to clean categories like sales, support, billing, or general, then act by triggering the right integration. We show how Airtable separates rules from workflow so a manager can reroute leads with a single field change, and how logging every message creates real-time analytics for accuracy, volumes, and trends. Finally, we map what it takes to go from prototype to production: secure API execution, robust error handling, monitoring dashboards, and compliance baked into the stack.

If you want practical AI that saves hours today and scales tomorrow, this walkthrough gives you the blueprint. 

Like some free book chapters?  Then go here How to build an agent - Kieran Gilmurray

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📕 Want to learn more about agentic AI then read my new book on Agentic AI and the Future of Work https://tinyurl.com/MyBooksOnAmazonUK