Semantic Kernel
By Microsoft
Semantic Kernel is an open-source SDK from Microsoft for integrating large language models into applications, providing abstractions for plugins, memory, and planners that orchestrate multi-step AI tasks.
Definition
Semantic Kernel is an open-source SDK from Microsoft for integrating large language models into applications, providing abstractions for plugins, memory, and planners that orchestrate multi-step AI tasks.
Overview
Semantic Kernel lets developers combine natural-language prompts ("semantic functions") with native code functions into reusable plugins, which an LLM-driven planner can then orchestrate to accomplish a broader goal — similar in purpose to how LangChain and LangGraph let developers chain LLM calls and tools together, but built with Microsoft's own conventions and tight integration into the .NET and Azure ecosystems, as well as Python. It includes a memory abstraction for storing and retrieving context (often backed by a vector database), and a planner component that can dynamically decide which plugins to call in what order to satisfy a user's request, making it a foundation for building enterprise AI agents and copilots within Microsoft-centric technology stacks.
Key Features
- Plugin architecture combining prompts and native code functions
- Planner component for orchestrating multi-step tasks
- Memory abstraction backed by vector storage
- Support for both .NET and Python
- Tight integration with Azure AI services