Server-Side Tools Are Now Available for DigitalOcean Inference Engine

DigitalOcean has introduced Server-Side Tools in Public Preview for its Inference Engine, allowing AI models to access real-time information and perform actions directly from within inference requests without requiring additional infrastructure. These tools enable functionalities like web search and web fetch, powered by Exa, providing live data access and retrieval from URLs or documents, which is beneficial for applications needing current information. They also support integration with existing Anthropic and OpenAI tool conventions, allowing for seamless operation within the DigitalOcean ecosystem. Additionally, Server-Side Tools facilitate grounding AI responses in user-specific data through DigitalOcean Knowledge Bases and MCP Servers, connecting models to internal systems and databases. The tools are available via the DigitalOcean Model Access Key, with no need for new credentials, and are supported across various inference services like Serverless Inference and Dedicated Inference, aiming to simplify the deployment and scaling of intelligent applications.