Microsoft AutoGen

AutoGen is an open-source framework from Microsoft for building applications where multiple AI agents converse to solve a task. Its signature pattern is conversational: agents message one another, including in group chats, to plan, critique, and refine work together.

Set expectations clearly for this directory’s audience: AutoGen is a developer framework, not a product a non-technical founder runs. There is no app, no point-and-click builder, you write code. If your goal is to get a job done in your business, the no-code tools in the automation and assistant categories are the right place to look. AutoGen is for the founder who is building their own agent product.

For that builder, it offers mature multi-agent orchestration with a layered, event-driven design and Python plus .NET support, all free and open source (you pay only for the model calls your agents make). The honest cons are that the API has shifted significantly across major versions and its research-driven roots mean features sometimes move faster than the documentation. Budget real engineering time, not an afternoon.