A practical field guide from Automation Ace.
Short answer: OpenAI and Anthropic (Claude) offer model APIs with tool use plus agent SDKs for building in code, and Anthropic also hosts agents for you. Google Cloud, Microsoft Copilot Studio and Microsoft Foundry, and Amazon Bedrock AgentCore wrap agents in their clouds with managed runtimes, identity, and governance, which suits organizations already on those clouds. The xAI API gives you Grok models with function calling and server-side tools. Choose by where your data and identity already live, how much you want to code, and who should host the agent loop.
Agent platforms change quickly. Details below come from public documentation and coverage at the time of writing; product names, availability, and pricing will change, so confirm with each provider.
Short answer
- Code-first SDKs: OpenAI Agents SDK, Claude Agent SDK, Google ADK.
- Managed cloud platforms: Google's agent platform, Microsoft Foundry, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore.
- Low-code for business users: Microsoft Copilot Studio.
- No-code inside automations: Zapier, Make, n8n, and Lindy, using these models underneath.
The six platforms at a glance
| Provider | Main ways to build | Hosting | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | Responses API with built-in tools; open-source Agents SDK (Python and TypeScript) | Your infrastructure, with OpenAI-hosted tools | Teams already using ChatGPT or OpenAI models |
| Anthropic (Claude) | Claude API with tool use; Claude Agent SDK; managed agents hosted by Anthropic | Your infrastructure, or Anthropic-hosted agent sessions | Coding, document-heavy, and long-running agent work |
| Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform (formerly Vertex AI); Agent Development Kit (ADK) | Google Cloud managed runtime, or your own | Google Cloud and Workspace organizations | |
| Microsoft | Copilot Studio (low-code); Microsoft Foundry Agent Service (pro-code) | Microsoft cloud | Microsoft 365, Teams, and Azure organizations |
| AWS | Amazon Bedrock AgentCore; open-source agent frameworks | AWS managed runtime | AWS-centered engineering teams |
| X (xAI) | xAI API with function calling, server-side tools, and remote MCP; Grok Bot for teams | Your infrastructure; Grok Bot is hosted | Teams using Grok models or X data |
OpenAI
OpenAI's building blocks are the Responses API, which supports tool calling and OpenAI-hosted tools such as web search, file search, and code execution, and the open-source OpenAI Agents SDK for orchestrating agents, handoffs between agents, guardrails, and tracing in Python or TypeScript. Remote MCP servers can be connected as tools. OpenAI has also offered a visual agent builder; reports at the time of writing indicated changes to it, so check its current status before building on it. Best for teams already using OpenAI models or ChatGPT.
Anthropic (Claude)
Anthropic's Claude API supports tool use, with SDK helpers that run the agent loop for you, server-side tools such as web search and code execution, and connections to remote MCP servers. The Claude Agent SDK packages the same agent harness used by Claude Code for building agents that work with files, commands, and tools. Anthropic also offers managed agents, where it runs the loop and a sandboxed workspace for each session. Claude models are also available through AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Foundry. Anthropic introduced the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which is now supported across the industry.
Google's enterprise agent platform (described as the successor to Vertex AI) includes a managed runtime for deploying agents, model access including Gemini, and governance features. The open-source Agent Development Kit (ADK) is a code-first framework for building single and multi-agent systems that can run on Google Cloud or elsewhere. Google also promotes the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol for agents to communicate across vendors, and offers business-user agents in Gemini Enterprise. Best for Google Cloud and Workspace organizations.
Microsoft
Microsoft Copilot Studio is a low-code tool for building agents that work in Teams, Microsoft 365, and websites, with connectors to business systems and Power Automate flows. Microsoft Foundry (formerly Azure AI Foundry) offers a pro-code agent service with a broad model catalog, including OpenAI and other models. Microsoft has also announced management and governance features for agents across the organization. Best for Microsoft 365 and Azure shops, especially where IT wants central control.
AWS
Amazon Bedrock AgentCore provides managed building blocks for running agents at scale: a runtime, a gateway that turns APIs into agent tools, memory, identity, and observability. It is designed to work with popular open-source agent frameworks and with many models available in Bedrock, including Claude. Coverage at the time of writing indicated AWS was steering new customers toward AgentCore rather than the earlier Agents for Bedrock. Best for engineering teams already on AWS.
X (xAI)
The xAI API provides Grok models with function calling so you can define your own tools, server-side tools such as web and X search and code execution, and support for remote MCP servers. For teams that want hosted agents rather than code, xAI's Grok Bot lets you create named bots for recurring work; it was in early beta at the time of writing. See Dots vs Muse vs Grok Bot vs Claude Duet.
No-code options on top
You do not have to build directly on a provider. Automation platforms let you build agents that use these models and your existing connections:
- Zapier Agents and Zapier MCP; see Zapier Agents vs Zapier MCP vs AI by Zapier.
- Make AI agents; see building AI agents in Make.
- n8n's AI Agent node; see n8n AI agents from prototype to production.
- Lindy for AI employees; see how to build AI employees with Lindy.
How to choose
| If you… | Look first at |
|---|---|
| Live in Microsoft 365 and want business users to build | Microsoft Copilot Studio |
| Run on Google Cloud or Workspace | Google's agent platform and ADK |
| Run on AWS and need enterprise controls | Amazon Bedrock AgentCore |
| Want a code-first SDK and control of the loop | OpenAI Agents SDK or Claude Agent SDK |
| Want the provider to host the agent loop and sandbox | Anthropic's managed agents, Google's managed runtime, or AgentCore |
| Want agents inside your existing automations, no code | Zapier, Make, n8n, or Lindy, calling any of these models |
Evaluation checklist
| Criterion | What to check |
|---|---|
| Model access | Which models you can use, and whether you can switch providers later |
| Tools and integrations | Built-in tools, MCP support, and connectors to your apps |
| Hosting | Who runs the loop, the sandbox, and memory: you or the provider |
| Identity and security | How the agent authenticates to your systems; data residency; compliance |
| Governance | Approvals, audit logs, agent registries, and admin controls |
| Observability | Traces, step logs, evaluations, and cost reporting |
| Pricing | Model usage plus runtime, tool, and platform fees |
| Lock-in | Open-source SDKs and open protocols reduce switching cost |
Whatever you choose, keep tools behind your own workflows or MCP servers, so you can change model providers without rebuilding integrations; see how AI agents use tools. Then follow how to build your first AI agent and budget with what it costs to run an AI agent.
Already using Claude Code? Its cloud scheduled tasks (formerly routines) can be started by API; see how to trigger Claude Code agents via API.
Already building agents in ChatGPT? See how to trigger a ChatGPT workspace agent via API.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I build an AI agent?
Build where your data and identity already live and at the level of code you want. Microsoft-centered teams often start with Copilot Studio, Google Cloud teams with Google’s agent platform and ADK, AWS teams with Bedrock AgentCore, and code-first teams with the OpenAI Agents SDK or Claude Agent SDK. No-code teams can build in Zapier, Make, n8n, or Lindy.
What is the difference between an agent SDK and an agent platform?
An SDK is a code library for building the agent loop, tools, and orchestration yourself. A platform adds hosting, identity, memory, governance, and monitoring, often with a visual builder, so you manage less infrastructure.
Can I switch AI agent providers later?
Yes, more easily if you keep your tools behind your own APIs, workflows, or MCP servers, use open-source frameworks, and keep a test set you can run against a new model before switching.
Which AI agent platform is best for non-developers?
Low-code and no-code tools such as Microsoft Copilot Studio, Zapier Agents, Make AI agents, n8n, and Lindy are the most approachable. The model providers’ SDKs are aimed at developers.
Do these AI agent platforms support MCP?
At the time of writing, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, AWS, and xAI all described support for the Model Context Protocol in some form, typically for connecting agents to remote MCP servers as tools. Check each provider for current details.
Disclaimer: AI agent platforms, product names, features, and prices change quickly; details reflect public documentation and coverage at the time of writing, so confirm current details with each provider before building. Automation Ace is not affiliated with the companies named here. This article may include links to apps, products, or services; some links may be affiliate links, which means Automation Ace may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.