Does your AI stack need a session layer? A maturity framework for teams building AI agents

In the rapidly evolving field of AI agent development, starting with HTTP streaming is common, but as products mature, teams often encounter limitations that hinder performance and user experience. This progression is mapped onto a maturity curve, highlighting stages from simple prompt-response interactions to more complex, production-grade AI experiences. As AI products develop, they require a session layer to manage longer sessions involving multi-step workflows, real-time collaboration, and seamless agent-to-human handoffs. These demands often necessitate infrastructure beyond HTTP streaming, such as durable transport, collaborative state management, and bidirectional communication capabilities, which can be provided by solutions like Ably AI Transport. This shift allows engineering teams to focus on product features rather than transport reliability, ensuring that AI applications can scale effectively while maintaining a high-quality user experience.