06 / 07 · AI Stack
Assemble the AI stack
AI Stack Integration
Key concepts
- Connect model serving, the user entry point, workflows, and required data. Add document indexing, retrieval, and citations when the task needs them.
- For shared use, test roles, queues, peak latency, error rates, monitoring, and backups. n8n is one possible workflow orchestrator.
Checkpoint
The company wants useful results in the first month. Which workflow should the stack deliver first?
- Document retrieval with citations
Fits policies, product documents, and evidence-based knowledge work.
Tradeoffs · Requires index freshness, retrieval quality, document permissions, and citation checks.
Verify · Test outdated documents, unanswerable questions, and cross-team access.
- Automate a bounded n8n workflow
Fits intake, classification, extraction, and reviewed system updates.
Tradeoffs · Explicit workflows still need deduplication, retries, and compensation.
Verify · Fail an intermediate step and verify safe replay without duplication.
- Tool-using agent with bounded actions
Fits tasks with variable paths and multiple tools.
Tradeoffs · Requires tool scopes, spending limits, stopping rules, and approvals.
Verify · Test failures and hostile documents for excess access and retry loops.
Hands-on check
Deliver a working end-to-end flow, a component and data-flow diagram, and a peak-load test record.
Illustration credits
- GROUNDED RETRIEVAL · AI-generated concept illustration. Verify actual specifications in product documentation.
- WORKFLOW AUTOMATION · AI-generated concept illustration. Verify actual specifications in product documentation.
- TOOL-USING AGENT · AI-generated concept illustration. Verify actual specifications in product documentation.