diff --git a/memgpt/autogen/memgpt_agent.py b/memgpt/autogen/memgpt_agent.py
index f4c59ce3..dee58e9c 100644
--- a/memgpt/autogen/memgpt_agent.py
+++ b/memgpt/autogen/memgpt_agent.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from memgpt.personas import personas
 from memgpt.humans import humans
 from memgpt.config import AgentConfig
 from memgpt.cli.cli import attach
+from memgpt.cli.cli_load import load_directory, load_webpage, load_index, load_database, load_vector_database
 from memgpt.connectors.storage import StorageConnector
 
 
@@ -172,6 +173,22 @@ class MemGPTAgent(ConversableAgent):
 
         self._is_termination_msg = is_termination_msg if is_termination_msg is not None else (lambda x: x == "TERMINATE")
 
+    def load(self, name: str, type: str, **kwargs):
+        # call load function based on type
+        match type:
+            case "directory":
+                load_directory(name=name, **kwargs)
+            case "webpage":
+                load_webpage(name=name, **kwargs)
+            case "index":
+                load_index(name=name, **kwargs)
+            case "database":
+                load_database(name=name, **kwargs)
+            case "vector_database":
+                load_vector_database(name=name, **kwargs)
+            case _:
+                raise ValueError(f"Invalid data source type {type}")
+
     def attach(self, data_source: str):
         # attach new data
         attach(self.agent.config.name, data_source)
@@ -182,6 +199,15 @@ class MemGPTAgent(ConversableAgent):
         # reload agent with new data source
         self.agent.persistence_manager.archival_memory.storage = StorageConnector.get_storage_connector(agent_config=self.agent.config)
 
+    def load_and_attach(self, name: str, type: str, force=False, **kwargs):
+        # check if data source already exists
+        if name in StorageConnector.list_loaded_data() and not force:
+            print(f"Data source {name} already exists. Use force=True to overwrite.")
+            self.attach(name)
+        else:
+            self.load(name, type, **kwargs)
+            self.attach(name)
+
     def format_other_agent_message(self, msg):
         if "name" in msg:
             user_message = f"{msg['name']}: {msg['content']}"
diff --git a/memgpt/cli/cli_load.py b/memgpt/cli/cli_load.py
index 62939a35..5a05d257 100644
--- a/memgpt/cli/cli_load.py
+++ b/memgpt/cli/cli_load.py
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ def load_directory(
         assert input_dir is not None, "Must provide input directory if recursive is True."
 
     if input_dir is not None:
-        assert len(input_files) == 0, "Either load in a list of files OR a directory."
         reader = SimpleDirectoryReader(
             input_dir=input_dir,
             recursive=recursive,