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Update an agent

beta.agents.update(agent_id, **kwargs) -> Agent { id, created_at, instructions, 12 more }
POST
/agents/{agent_id}

Updates a reusable agent. See agent configuration.

Parameters
agent_id: String
minLength0
maxLength1048576
compaction: Compaction{ async}

Context compaction settings. Omit to keep the current settings. A supplied object replaces the settings; null or an empty object enables background compaction.

experimental: Experimental{ time_awareness}

Experimental settings to merge by key. Omitted settings keep their current values.

instructions: String

Additional instructions appended to the agent’s default base instructions. Omit to leave unchanged.

minLength0
maxLength1048576
metadata: Hash[Symbol, String]

Replaces all metadata. Omit to leave unchanged, or pass null or {} to clear it. Up to 16 string key-value pairs, with keys up to 64 and values up to 512 characters.

model: String

The model to use for the agent. The requested model name is preserved.

minLength0
maxLength1048576
multi_agent: MultiAgentConfigParam { enabled, max_concurrent_subagents }

Configuration for creating and coordinating subagents.

name: String

A replacement name. Omit to leave unchanged, or pass null to clear it.

minLength0
maxLength128
reasoning: AgentReasoningParam { effort, summary }

Configuration for model reasoning. Omit to keep the current settings; pass null to reset to the model’s default effort.

service_tier: :auto | :default | :flex | 3 more

The service tier used for model requests.

text: AgentTextParam { format_, verbosity }

Configuration for text generated by the agent.

tools: Array[PersistedAgentToolParam]

Replaces the tool list. Omit to leave it unchanged, or pass null to clear it. The replacement must fit within 3 MiB (3,145,728 bytes) of compact UTF-8 JSON.

minItems0
maxItems2000
Returns
class Agent { id, created_at, instructions, 12 more }

A reusable agent scoped to the caller’s project.

id: String

The ID of the reusable agent.

minLength0
created_at: Integer

The Unix timestamp, in seconds, when the agent was created.

formatint64
instructions: String

Custom instructions appended to the agent’s default base instructions.

minLength0
metadata: Hash[Symbol, String]

Custom string key-value pairs attached to the agent.

model: String

The requested model name used for inference.

minLength0
multi_agent: MultiAgentConfig { enabled, max_concurrent_subagents }

The resolved configuration for creating and coordinating subagents.

name: String

A human-readable name for the agent, or null if it is unnamed.

minLength0
object: :agent

The object type. Always agent.

reasoning: AgentReasoning { effort, summary }

The resolved reasoning configuration, including the model default for an omitted effort.

service_tier: :auto | :default | :flex | 3 more

The resolved service-tier policy used for model requests.

text: AgentText { format_, verbosity }

The resolved configuration for text generated by the agent.

tools: Array[PersistedAgentTool]

Tools available to the agent.

minItems0
maxItems2000
updated_at: Integer

The Unix timestamp, in seconds, when the agent was last updated.

formatint64
compaction: Compaction{ async}

The effective context compaction settings.

experimental: Experimental{ time_awareness}

The effective experimental settings for the agent.

Update an agent

require "openai"

client = OpenAI::Client.new
agent_id = "your-agent-id"

# 1. Omit reasoning: keep its current settings while renaming the agent.
client.beta.agents.update(agent_id, name: "Renamed")

# 2. Ruby's nil sends JSON null: reset reasoning to the model's defaults.
client.beta.agents.update(agent_id, reasoning: nil)

# 3. Send an object: replace the entire reasoning configuration, without merging.
# The agent's model must support the "low" reasoning effort.
client.beta.agents.update(agent_id, reasoning: {effort: :low})
200 — Example
{
  "id": "id",
  "created_at": 0,
  "instructions": "instructions",
  "metadata": {
    "foo": "string"
  },
  "model": "model",
  "multi_agent": {
    "enabled": true,
    "max_concurrent_subagents": 1
  },
  "name": "name",
  "object": "agent",
  "reasoning": {
    "effort": "none",
    "summary": "concise"
  },
  "service_tier": "auto",
  "text": {
    "format": {
      "type": "text"
    },
    "verbosity": "low"
  },
  "tools": [
    {
      "defer_loading": true,
      "description": "description",
      "name": "name",
      "parameters": {
        "foo": "bar"
      },
      "type": "function",
      "async": true
    }
  ],
  "updated_at": 0,
  "compaction": {
    "async": true
  },
  "experimental": {
    "time_awareness": true
  }
}
Returns Examples
200 — Example
{
  "id": "id",
  "created_at": 0,
  "instructions": "instructions",
  "metadata": {
    "foo": "string"
  },
  "model": "model",
  "multi_agent": {
    "enabled": true,
    "max_concurrent_subagents": 1
  },
  "name": "name",
  "object": "agent",
  "reasoning": {
    "effort": "none",
    "summary": "concise"
  },
  "service_tier": "auto",
  "text": {
    "format": {
      "type": "text"
    },
    "verbosity": "low"
  },
  "tools": [
    {
      "defer_loading": true,
      "description": "description",
      "name": "name",
      "parameters": {
        "foo": "bar"
      },
      "type": "function",
      "async": true
    }
  ],
  "updated_at": 0,
  "compaction": {
    "async": true
  },
  "experimental": {
    "time_awareness": true
  }
}