AutoGen

What is AutoGen?

AutoGen is an open-source programming framework from Microsoft for building agentic AI systems. The documentation describes it as a tool for creating multi-agent conversations, managing tool use, and orchestrating agent workflows. It is written in Python and designed to let developers define multiple AI agents that can communicate with each other, call external tools, and coordinate on tasks. The project is hosted on GitHub under the Microsoft organization and has accumulated 60,036 stars as of its repository page. AutoGen is not a standalone application; it is a library that developers integrate into their own code to construct agent-based applications.

Who is AutoGen for?

AutoGen targets developers who need to build systems where multiple AI agents collaborate. According to the project's documentation, typical use cases include automated problem-solving, code generation, and data analysis that require several specialized agents to work together—for example, one agent writes code, another reviews it, and a third executes tests. The framework is suited for Python programmers familiar with large language models and agent-orchestration patterns. It is not aimed at end users or non-technical teams; instead, it provides the building blocks for constructing custom multi-agent applications. The documentation also highlights support for integrating with LLMs from OpenAI, Azure, and local models, making it adaptable to different deployment environments.

How much does AutoGen cost?

The AutoGen framework itself is free. The project is released under an open-source license (MIT), so there is no licensing fee. The pricing page of the website lists the starting price as $0 per month. However, using AutoGen typically incurs costs from the underlying AI models it orchestrates. Developers must bring their own LLM API keys—such as those from OpenAI or Azure—and pay for token usage separately. There are no built-in charges from the AutoGen project. The source code can be downloaded from GitHub, and users run it on their own infrastructure or cloud services, which may have their own costs.