Working With Tools

Introduction

Tools extend AI with any functionality that you need. This may be accesing the web, connecting to data, interacting with various services and much more.

It's crucial to have a wide choice of tools covering all the connections, services and capabilities that are needed for AI model to pull off the given query or task. TaskLift empowers you in that effort by working as the ultimate hub for all AI tools in following ways:

• One-click access to leading cloud tools – just pick and switch between web search with Exa or Linkup, notifications with TaskLift and more without worrying about subscriptions or APIs
• Zero-effort hosting of private tools – run your own local MCP tools for hundreds of services with secure code execution and all the server heavylifting & cost optimization covered
• Support for custom tools and functions – for those powerusers that need anything else than the above, you can just fill API details and keys and start rolling on TaskLift too
• Simple way to turn assistants into tools – define assistants with specific model, tools and instructions specialized in their tasks and then turn them into tools that other chats may call
• Convenient persistent file storage – create one or multiple drives, easily manage files on them, provide them to AI in chats and assistants and attach them to computers
• Powerful capability to rig computers with multiple tools – choose multiple tools and drives, pick the appropriate hardware specification that fits them and provide the rig to AI

In all of these cases, you're using a single billing which mixes the ease & stability of a subscription with control & efficiency of usage-based approach. Learn more on the  Pricing page.

Regardless of the tool type, it can consistently be used across all TaskLift features such as:

• Chats – see the  Chatting page
• Assistants – see the  Working With Assistants page
• Third party apps, agents and libraries - see the  Calling Tools Over API page

Built-In Tools

We provide unified, zero-effort access to a selection of leading cloud tools including Exa and Linkup. This way capabilities such as web search come with a choice of data provider and control over number of results & other parameters.

We also provide built-in tools that tap directly into the TaskLift platform features. For instance the Notifications tool enables AI to issue arbitrary updates from within specific workflow or task. Learn more about this specific tool on the  Working With Notifications page.

Built-in tools are by far the simplest way to start enhancing AI with extra capabilities on TaskLift. Just pick one of leading tools/providers and use it. As long as you have an active TaskLift subscription you can just use them without any setup. You will also get to switch between them which is useful for multiple reasons:

• Pick the best tool for given use case or task (use distinct one for each chat or assistant)
• Stay on top of the fast-paced "best AI tool for X" race
• Cut costs in (also very dynamic and competitive) world of AI pricings
• Fallback to a different tool when your previous pick doesn't work or is currently offline

To start using built-in tools, follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to the Tools section.
2. Optionally click the Filter button to filter the listing by Built-In type.
3. Pick one of tools such as Exa and Linkup for web search.
4. Look at capabilities offered by selected tool. Take note of pricing presented below each.
5. Click either Chat or Use Externally button depending on how you'd like to use it.

While at the tool page, you may want to use either the Favorite or the Hide button in order to increase or reduce the tool's visibility when later selecting tools for a chat or assistant.

Private Tools

We can host your own private tools from a wide choice of MCP tools (local with stdio transport), letting you tap into the richest & most thriving community of AI tools. We offer very competitive prices while also covering all the hosting-related heavylifting. Private tools are powered by our scalable, secure and cost-efficient hosting platform.

This type of tools is almost as easy to use as built-in one. You basically fill the MCP (stdio) command that would run the tool locally (usually provided in its documentation) and you're ready to go. From then on, whenever you use specific private tool, we will spin up a server, start the tool and connect to it. Few moments later you should see a tool response in your chat.

We also provide a couple of special private tools that provide powerful capabilities related to running arbitrary commands and code - useful when working with hosted servers, enabling AI to fulfill arbitrary & complex tasks. Learn more about them on the  Running Commands And Code page.

If you make further calls to the same private tool within a next couple of minutes it will reply instantly and if you won't we will stop the server in order to cut the costs.

By supporting private tools, TaskLift gives you an alternative to built-in ones that may be more viable for you for a few reasons:

• Privacy - private tools are contained locally so no cloud provider will trace your usage
• Capabilities - allowing to pick from a wide range of MCP tools, or write & hook your own
• Cost - we provide competitive pricing and getting billed per hour may be cheaper than per call
• Availability - private tool is fully yours so you'll never suffer delays or service disruptions

Learn more about private model hosting on the  Hosting Private Models And Tools page.

External Tools

We aim for TaskLift to be as flexible and unconstrained as possible. That's why we allow to plug & use any external (cloud or private) tools by connecting to arbitrary MCP SSE API. This enables a rich ecosystem of MCP cloud services.

For example, you may use your own Linkup subscription that's already prepaid and ready (or provided to you by your company or team) and connect to their remote MCP endpoint. Or you may want to plug your own MCP SSE service hosted on that cheap server that you've nailed during last Black Friday. That's all possible and as easy as copy-pasting a bunch of API details.

This may be useful to include your arbitrary AI tools in TaskLift chats, assistants, or to use them with TaskLift tools, embeds or APIs. Sky is the limit (for sure we won't be the ones limiting your view).

Assistant Tools

Assistant tools may be used to turn your assistants into tools and open a whole world of possibilities by letting you use your refined, specialized & focused assistants in other chats or assistants. Check out the  Turning Assistants Into Tools page for more information.

Computer And Drive Tools

Computer tools may be used to combine multiple tools and equip them with arbitrary hardware. Check out the  Combining Tools And Data On Computers page for more information.

Drive tools may be used to store files persistently - either added directly to AI chats and assistants or attached to computer tools in order to store data across non-successive computer calls. Check out the  Storing Data On Persistent Drives page for more information.