Added an agent description field distinct from the system_message.

autogen/agentchat/assistant_agent.py

@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ class AssistantAgent(ConversableAgent):
 Reply "TERMINATE" in the end when everything is done.
     """
 
+    DEFAULT_DESCRIPTION = "A helpful and general-purpose AI assistant that has strong language skills, Python skills, and Linux command line skills."
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         name: str,
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ def __init__(
         max_consecutive_auto_reply: Optional[int] = None,
         human_input_mode: Optional[str] = "NEVER",
         code_execution_config: Optional[Union[Dict, Literal[False]]] = False,
+        description: Optional[str] = None,
         **kwargs,
     ):
         """
@@ -62,5 +65,12 @@ def __init__(
             human_input_mode,
             code_execution_config=code_execution_config,
             llm_config=llm_config,
+            description=description,
             **kwargs,
         )
+
+        # Update the provided desciption if None, and we are using the default system_message,
+        # then use the default description.
+        if description is None:
+            if system_message == self.DEFAULT_SYSTEM_MESSAGE:
+                self.description = self.DEFAULT_DESCRIPTION

autogen/agentchat/conversable_agent.py

@@ -58,11 +58,14 @@ def __init__(
         code_execution_config: Optional[Union[Dict, Literal[False]]] = None,
         llm_config: Optional[Union[Dict, Literal[False]]] = None,
         default_auto_reply: Optional[Union[str, Dict, None]] = "",
+        description: Optional[str] = None,
     ):
         """
         Args:
             name (str): name of the agent.
             system_message (str): system message for the ChatCompletion inference.
+            description (str): a short description of the agent. This description is used by other agents
+                (e.g. the GroupChatManager) to decide when to call upon this agent. (Default: system_message)
             is_termination_msg (function): a function that takes a message in the form of a dictionary
                 and returns a boolean value indicating if this received message is a termination message.
                 The dict can contain the following keys: "content", "role", "name", "function_call".
@@ -104,6 +107,7 @@ def __init__(
         # a dictionary of conversations, default value is list
         self._oai_messages = defaultdict(list)
         self._oai_system_message = [{"content": system_message, "role": "system"}]
+        self.description = description if description is not None else system_message
         self._is_termination_msg = (
             is_termination_msg if is_termination_msg is not None else (lambda x: x.get("content") == "TERMINATE")
         )

autogen/agentchat/groupchat.py

@@ -66,11 +66,14 @@ def next_agent(self, agent: Agent, agents: List[Agent]) -> Agent:
 
     def select_speaker_msg(self, agents: List[Agent]):
         """Return the message for selecting the next speaker."""
-        return f"""You are in a role play game. The following roles are available:
-{self._participant_roles(agents)}.
+        return f"""You are moderating a conversation between the following participants:
 
-Read the following conversation.
-Then select the next role from {[agent.name for agent in agents]} to play. Only return the role."""
+{self._participant_roles(agents)}
+
+Read the following conversation, then carefully consider who should speak next based on who's input would be most valued in this moment (e.g., to make the most progress on the task). Speakers do not need equal speaking time. You may even ignore non-relevant participants. Your focus is on efficiently driving progress toward task completion.
+
+You must select only one speaker to go next, and you must only return their name (i.e., from the set {[agent.name for agent in agents]})
+"""
 
     def manual_select_speaker(self, agents: List[Agent]) -> Agent:
         """Manually select the next speaker."""
@@ -155,15 +158,20 @@ def select_speaker(self, last_speaker: Agent, selector: ConversableAgent):
 
         # auto speaker selection
         selector.update_system_message(self.select_speaker_msg(agents))
+        # logger.warning("GroupChat selection prompt:\n" + selector.system_message)
+
         final, name = selector.generate_oai_reply(
             self.messages
             + [
                 {
                     "role": "system",
-                    "content": f"Read the above conversation. Then select the next role from {[agent.name for agent in agents]} to play. Only return the role.",
+                    "content": f"Read the above conversation, then carefully consider who should speak next based on who's input would be most valued in this moment to make progress on the task. Select the next speaker from {[agent.name for agent in agents]}. Only return their name.",
                 }
             ]
         )
+
+        # logger.warning("GroupChat selection result: " + name)
+
         if not final:
             # the LLM client is None, thus no reply is generated. Use round robin instead.
             return self.next_agent(last_speaker, agents)
@@ -192,9 +200,9 @@ def _participant_roles(self, agents: List[Agent] = None) -> str:
         for agent in agents:
             if agent.system_message.strip() == "":
                 logger.warning(
-                    f"The agent '{agent.name}' has an empty system_message, and may not work well with GroupChat."
+                    f"The agent '{agent.name}' has an empty description, and may not work well with GroupChat."
                 )
-            roles.append(f"{agent.name}: {agent.system_message}")
+            roles.append(f"{agent.name}: {agent.description}".strip())
         return "\n".join(roles)
 
     def _mentioned_agents(self, message_content: str, agents: List[Agent]) -> Dict:

autogen/agentchat/user_proxy_agent.py

@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ class UserProxyAgent(ConversableAgent):
     To customize the initial message when a conversation starts, override `generate_init_message` method.
     """
 
+    # Default UserProxyAgent.description values, based on human_input_mode
+    DEFAULT_USER_PROXY_AGENT_DESCRIPTIONS = {
+        "ALWAYS": "An attentive HUMAN user who can answer questions about the task, and can perform tasks such as running Python code or inputting command line commands at a Linux terminal and reporting back the execution results.",
+        "TERMINATE": "A user that can run Python code or input command line commands at a Linux terminal and report back the execution results.",
+        "NEVER": "A user that can run Python code or input command line commands at a Linux terminal and report back the execution results.",
+    }
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         name: str,
@@ -26,6 +33,7 @@ def __init__(
         default_auto_reply: Optional[Union[str, Dict, None]] = "",
         llm_config: Optional[Union[Dict, Literal[False]]] = False,
         system_message: Optional[str] = "",
+        description: Optional[str] = None,
     ):
         """
         Args:
@@ -70,13 +78,16 @@ def __init__(
                 Only used when llm_config is not False. Use it to reprogram the agent.
         """
         super().__init__(
-            name,
-            system_message,
-            is_termination_msg,
-            max_consecutive_auto_reply,
-            human_input_mode,
-            function_map,
-            code_execution_config,
-            llm_config,
-            default_auto_reply,
+            name=name,
+            system_message=system_message,
+            is_termination_msg=is_termination_msg,
+            max_consecutive_auto_reply=max_consecutive_auto_reply,
+            human_input_mode=human_input_mode,
+            function_map=function_map,
+            code_execution_config=code_execution_config,
+            llm_config=llm_config,
+            default_auto_reply=default_auto_reply,
+            description=description
+            if description is not None
+            else self.DEFAULT_USER_PROXY_AGENT_DESCRIPTIONS[human_input_mode],
         )

test/agentchat/test_conversable_agent.py

@@ -275,6 +275,27 @@ def test_conversable_agent():
     with pytest.raises(KeyError):
         dummy_agent_1.last_message(dummy_agent_3)
 
+    # Check the description field
+    assert dummy_agent_1.description != dummy_agent_1.system_message
+    assert dummy_agent_2.description == dummy_agent_2.system_message
+
+    dummy_agent_4 = ConversableAgent(
+        name="dummy_agent_4",
+        system_message="The fourth dummy agent used for testing.",
+        llm_config=False,
+        human_input_mode="TERMINATE",
+    )
+    assert dummy_agent_4.description == "The fourth dummy agent used for testing."  # Same as system message
+
+    dummy_agent_5 = ConversableAgent(
+        name="dummy_agent_5",
+        system_message="",
+        description="The fifth dummy agent used for testing.",
+        llm_config=False,
+        human_input_mode="TERMINATE",
+    )
+    assert dummy_agent_5.description == "The fifth dummy agent used for testing."  # Same as system message
+
 
 def test_generate_reply():
     def add_num(num_to_be_added):