Supervisor Agent
Definition
A supervisor agent is a controller agent that manages and coordinates other agents in a multi-agent system, deciding which agent should handle each task and aggregating their results.
Why It Matters
In multi-agent systems, something needs to make high-level decisions about task routing and coordination. A supervisor agent acts as this central coordinator, using an LLM to intelligently route tasks to specialized worker agents based on the task requirements. This creates a hierarchical structure that’s easier to manage and debug than fully decentralized approaches.
How It Works
The supervisor agent receives incoming requests and uses its LLM to analyze what type of task it is and which worker agent is best suited to handle it. It then delegates the task, monitors progress, and may aggregate results from multiple workers. The supervisor can also handle escalation when workers encounter problems they can’t solve independently.
When to Use It
Use a supervisor agent pattern when: (1) you have multiple specialized agents with different capabilities, (2) task routing isn’t deterministic and requires judgment, (3) you need centralized monitoring and control, or (4) you want to implement hierarchical error handling. For simpler systems with predictable routing, a rules-based router may be sufficient.