AI agents did better with distilled skills than detailed memory, a user reports

A user discussing “Demystifying Agent Skills: Why They Work-Until They Don't” says the research compared two ways of packaging the same past agent experience: detailed Workflow Memory and distilled skills. According to the summary, 65.7% of skill cases worked through “procedural anchoring”—guidance on how to execute a task—while 4.5% worked by supplying missing knowledge. The user argues that skills mainly help agents choose steps and tools, verify work and avoid mistakes. But the post also warns that a skill can hurt when applied in the wrong situation or followed too rigidly.