News/Agents
Salesforce unveils flexible pricing for AI tools
Salesforce's new pay-per-action AI pricing model marks a significant evolution in enterprise software economics, offering businesses a more flexible way to pay for artificial intelligence capabilities. By introducing consumption-based pricing alongside options to reallocate traditional subscription spending toward AI tools, the company is adapting to the maturing AI market where organizations increasingly demand transparent, predictable costs tied directly to value received rather than flat subscription fees. The big picture: Salesforce is introducing a new consumption-based pricing model for its AI agents, charging customers approximately 10 cents per "action" performed by these automated tools. Key details: The pricing change specifically targets...
read May 15, 2025VentureBeat seeks AI experts in survey exploring agentic future of technology
VentureBeat is calling on AI professionals to participate in its annual survey, designed to benchmark enterprise AI adoption with a special focus on emerging generative and agentic AI technologies. This initiative comes at a critical juncture in AI development, as autonomous agent frameworks gain traction and organizations seek to measure their AI maturity against industry peers. The ten-minute assessment aims to gather insights from decision-makers across multiple sectors to create an authoritative view of current implementation trends. The big picture: VentureBeat has launched its annual AI survey focusing on generative and agentic AI adoption in enterprise settings, coinciding with their...
read May 14, 2025Gemini-powered AlphaEvolve designs advanced algorithms autonomously
Google DeepMind's new AI agent, AlphaEvolve, represents a significant leap in algorithm discovery by combining Gemini language models with evolutionary computation. This system has already delivered measurable efficiency improvements across Google's computing infrastructure and solved mathematical challenges, demonstrating how AI can autonomously develop complex algorithms for both theoretical and practical applications. The big picture: Google DeepMind has created AlphaEvolve, an evolutionary coding agent powered by Gemini models that autonomously discovers and optimizes algorithms for complex problems in mathematics and computing. The system combines large language models' creative capabilities with automated evaluation tools that verify solutions and an evolutionary framework that...
read May 14, 2025Perplexity and PayPal team up for seamless checkout experience
Call it "Buy on My Behalf," or...BOMB? Perplexity AI is expanding its capabilities through a new partnership with PayPal that will transform how consumers shop online. This collaboration represents a significant advancement in agentic commerce, where AI assistants don't just recommend products but can complete transactions on users' behalf. The integration will allow millions of PayPal and Venmo users to make purchases directly through Perplexity's interface, potentially reshaping e-commerce by eliminating traditional checkout barriers. The big picture: Perplexity AI has formed a strategic partnership with PayPal to enable direct purchasing capabilities within its chat interface, strengthening its position in the...
read May 14, 2025AI agent AlphaEvolve creates algorithms surpassing human expertise
Google DeepMind's AlphaEvolve represents a significant leap in AI's ability to create novel algorithmic solutions rather than simply remixing existing knowledge. By combining Gemini's coding capabilities with evolutionary design methods, this system has created provably new algorithms that outperform human-designed approaches that have remained unchallenged for decades. This breakthrough demonstrates AI's emerging capacity to generate genuinely innovative solutions to computational problems, particularly those relevant to advancing AI itself. The big picture: Google DeepMind has developed AlphaEvolve, an AI system that designs algorithms that surpass human expertise in specific computational domains, including improvements to a matrix calculation method that has remained...
read May 14, 2025Patronus launches AI monitoring tool Percival for enterprise use
Patronus AI's new Percival platform aims to solve a growing crisis in enterprise AI reliability by automatically detecting and fixing failures in agent systems. As companies increasingly deploy autonomous AI agents for complex tasks, these systems face compounding error risks that can damage brand reputation and increase customer churn. Percival represents a significant advancement in AI oversight technology, particularly as agent applications become more mission-critical for businesses. The big picture: Patronus AI has launched Percival, positioning it as the industry's first automated monitoring platform that can identify failure patterns in AI agent systems and suggest optimizations to address them. The...
read May 14, 2025Why AI demands a new kind of enterprise architecture
Enterprise architecture stands at a pivotal crossroads as AI and agent technologies fundamentally reshape how organizations must structure their data and information systems. Traditional EA approaches—often trapped in rigid frameworks and disconnected from business outcomes—are increasingly incompatible with the demands of cognitive architectures and AI-centric data models. This evolution requires a complete reimagining of enterprise architecture practices, shifting from dogmatic methodologies toward flexible, pragmatic governance models that can accommodate decentralized intelligence and cross-domain integration. The big picture: Enterprise architecture faces an existential crisis as AI systems and data-centric technologies demand radical shifts in how organizations structure information assets and governance...
read May 14, 2025Agentic AI goes mainstream as tech giants shift from chatbots to enterprise strategy
Tech companies are rapidly deploying agentic AI systems, with nearly half of industry leaders already implementing this technology, according to a new Ernst & Young survey. Unlike the initial wave of generative AI adoption that was driven largely by novelty, this shift represents a more strategic approach as companies seek tangible business benefits and competitive advantages. The movement toward autonomous AI systems signals a significant evolution in how organizations are integrating artificial intelligence into their core operations. The big picture: Nearly half (48%) of tech executives surveyed have begun deploying agentic AI, with 50% expecting most of their internal AI...
read May 14, 2025Decentralised networks offer a new path for agentic AI
The integration of philosophy with artificial intelligence development represents a critical need as we advance into an era of increasingly complex AI systems. The call for deeper understanding of underlying principles in AI resonates with historical scientific inquiry, like Ben Franklin's experimental work on electricity. Abhishek Singh's recent presentation on agentic AI offers philosophical frameworks for addressing fundamental challenges in AI development, particularly through the lens of decentralization and networked intelligence systems. The big picture: Singh's presentation on "Chaos, Coordination and the Future of Agentic AI" highlights the philosophical tension between centralized and decentralized approaches to artificial intelligence development. He...
read May 13, 2025AI-powered crypto trading bots still face major hurdles
Researchers have discovered a new attack that manipulates AI chatbots to steal cryptocurrency by implanting false memories, demonstrating a significant security vulnerability in autonomous AI agents. The exploit targets ElizaOS, an experimental framework designed to enable AI-powered agents to perform blockchain transactions based on predefined rules. This security flaw highlights the potentially catastrophic risks of deploying AI agents with financial capabilities before thoroughly addressing their inherent vulnerabilities. The big picture: The "context manipulation" attack allows adversaries to trick AI agents into redirecting cryptocurrency payments by simply typing a few sentences that create false memories within the system. The attack works...
read May 13, 2025MCP emerges as enterprise AI’s universal language
Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP) has emerged as a frontrunner in the race to establish interoperability standards for AI agents, gaining significant industry adoption since its release in November 2024. The protocol's growing popularity stems from its ability to enable different AI systems to communicate with each other while providing organizations more control over data access than traditional APIs. This rapid industry convergence around MCP signals that the AI ecosystem is maturing toward standardization, even as multiple protocols may coexist in the near term. The big picture: MCP has gathered substantial momentum in just seven months, with major companies like...
read May 13, 2025Google develops AI software agent before annual conference
Google is reportedly preparing to unveil an AI coding agent and potentially integrating Gemini with its AR hardware at its upcoming I/O developer conference. The demonstrations, which have already been shown to employees and select developers, highlight Google's push to translate its massive AI investments into tangible products as it faces mounting investor pressure for returns and intensifying competition in the AI space. The software development agent represents a significant step toward AI-assisted programming, potentially reshaping how developers work. The big picture: Google has been showcasing various AI products internally, including a comprehensive software development agent that could transform coding...
read May 12, 2025IBM survey reveals the gap between AI investment and business results
IBM's survey of 2,000 CEOs reveals a significant reality gap in AI investment outcomes, with just 25% of initiatives delivering expected returns. Despite this shortfall, enterprises are doubling down on AI investments over the next two years, particularly in AI agents that can automate entire tasks across multiple systems. This dichotomy between underwhelming results and accelerating investment highlights both the fear of missing out driving corporate AI strategies and the complex implementation challenges enterprises face. The big picture: Only a quarter of AI initiatives have delivered the expected return on investment according to IBM's survey, revealing a stark contrast between...
read May 10, 2025Hugging Face launches AI agent that navigates the web like a human
Hugging Face's Open Computer Agent represents a significant advancement in AI-powered automation, allowing users to delegate web browsing tasks to an artificial assistant. This new tool joins a growing ecosystem of AI agents that can independently navigate websites, complete forms, and execute complex online tasks—effectively transforming how humans might interact with digital interfaces by enabling single-prompt completion of multi-step processes that previously required direct human involvement. The big picture: Hugging Face has launched the Open Computer Agent, a free AI tool that can navigate websites and complete tasks autonomously by controlling a web browser like a human would. The agent...
read May 9, 2025Zencoder unveils Zen Agents for AI-driven team software development
Zencoder's Zen Agents platform represents a significant evolution in collaborative AI development tools, shifting focus from individual productivity to team-based workflows. By creating an open-source marketplace for custom AI agents that can be shared across organizations, the platform addresses a crucial gap in modern software development where delays often occur between coding and feedback loops. This approach could fundamentally change how development teams collaborate and leverage AI throughout their workflows. The big picture: Zencoder has launched Zen Agents, a platform enabling teams to create, share, and deploy specialized AI tools for software development across entire organizations. The platform includes an...
read May 9, 2025Plexe unleashes multi-agent AI to build machine learning models from natural language
Plexe introduces a groundbreaking approach to machine learning development by enabling model creation through natural language instructions. This innovative platform harnesses multi-agent AI architecture to automate the entire machine learning pipeline—from requirement analysis to deployment—making sophisticated ML capabilities accessible to users without extensive coding expertise. By bridging the gap between natural language intent and functioning ML models, Plexe represents a significant advancement in democratizing artificial intelligence development. 1. Natural language model creation Plexe allows users to define machine learning models using plain English descriptions rather than complex code structures. The platform handles the entire model-building process based on a simple...
read May 9, 2025Epicor rolls out industry-focused AI and carbon accounting tools
Epicor's annual user conference showcases a dual focus on AI-powered business solutions and sustainability tracking that transforms carbon emissions into a measurable cost center. These initiatives represent Epicor's push to deliver practical industry-specific AI solutions while also addressing growing environmental reporting requirements, particularly significant for international manufacturers who face increasingly stringent emissions regulations. This balanced approach aims to both improve operational efficiency and prepare businesses for a more sustainability-focused future. The big picture: Epicor unveiled AI advancements and sustainability tools at its Insights 2025 conference, including general availability of Epicor Prism enhancements and a new Carbon Cost Rollup solution for...
read May 9, 2025“Digital labor” is reshaping Salesforce’s growth strategy
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff sees a transformative shift unfolding where AI agents are becoming an essential workforce alongside humans. This vision isn't theoretical—it's happening now, with companies already deploying digital labor that autonomously handles customer interactions, drafts business strategies, and collaborates with leadership. This represents a fundamental reimagining of how businesses operate, potentially expanding Salesforce's addressable market from hundreds of billions into the trillion-dollar range. The big picture: Salesforce is pivoting toward what Benioff calls "digital labor," expanding from traditional enterprise software into a market he estimates at $3-12 trillion. Despite already being the world's second-largest enterprise software company with...
read May 9, 2025Exponential decay offers insight into AI weaknesses
A simple mathematical model reveals that AI agent performance may have a predictable decay pattern on longer research-engineering tasks. This finding, stemming from recent empirical research, introduces the concept of an "AI agent half-life" that could fundamentally change how we evaluate and deploy AI systems. The discovery suggests that rather than experiencing random failures, AI agents may have intrinsic reliability rates that decrease exponentially as task duration increases, offering researchers a potential framework for predicting performance limitations. The big picture: AI agents appear to fail at a constant rate per unit of time when tackling research-engineering tasks, creating an exponential...
read May 8, 2025ServiceNow launches AI-powered workflow automation ecosystem at Knowledge 2025
ServiceNow is significantly expanding its AI capabilities with a new partner ecosystem and autonomous agents designed to revolutionize enterprise workflow automation. At its Knowledge 2025 event, the company unveiled the Workflow Data Network, a comprehensive data integration system that connects AI tools to enterprise data across various sources and partners, alongside autonomous agents that can handle complex IT tasks independently and a new Core Business Suite that streamlines operations across departments. The big picture: ServiceNow's Workflow Data Network creates a unified ecosystem for AI-powered workflow automation by connecting enterprise data across more than 100 integrations and multiple technology partners. The...
read May 8, 2025AI agents from SAS enable customizable, transparent decision-making
SAS's newly unveiled agentic AI framework for SAS Viya aims to transform how organizations implement autonomous AI systems by embedding governance, human oversight, and explainability into the decision-making process. As businesses race toward deploying AI systems that can operate with minimal human intervention, SAS has positioned its platform as a solution that balances autonomy with accountability, transforming experimental AI agents into practical business tools that can be safely deployed even in highly regulated industries. The big picture: SAS is building its agentic AI capabilities on the SAS Viya platform through SAS Intelligent Decisioning, creating a framework that combines governance, flexible...
read May 8, 2025AI opens explosive new distribution channel for business procurement practices
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming business procurement practices as AI agents begin making vendor selections without human input. This shift represents a fundamental change in how technology products and services are discovered and adopted, creating a new distribution channel that bypasses traditional marketing approaches. As AI systems increasingly handle technical implementation decisions autonomously, companies that position their products to be AI-recommended will gain significant competitive advantages in this emerging procurement landscape. The big picture: AI agents are automating software component selection at unprecedented rates, creating a new form of distribution where machines—not humans—make vendor choices. AI agents are reportedly creating...
read May 7, 2025AI-powered agentic analytics restores business leaders’ data trust
Business leaders are facing a growing paradox in data-driven decision-making: as data volumes increase, confidence in using that data is plummeting. This disconnect threatens effective leadership in uncertain times, but a new approach called "agentic analytics" promises to bridge this gap by pairing business users with AI agents that can automate data tasks, proactively identify patterns, and deliver insights in accessible language within existing workflows. The big picture: Business decision-makers are drowning in data while simultaneously losing faith in their ability to use it effectively, with leader confidence in data-driven decisions dropping 18% since 2023 to less than half overall....
read May 6, 2025AI platform Korl customizes messaging with multiple LLMs
Korl's new multi-agent platform represents a significant advancement in customer communication technology, leveraging AI to bridge the persistent gap between disconnected customer data systems. By orchestrating information from various sources like Salesforce, Jira, and Google Docs, the startup offers a solution to a fundamental business challenge: creating truly personalized customer materials that align with both customer needs and product capabilities without the traditional manual effort. The big picture: Korl has launched a multimodal, multi-agent AI platform that automatically creates highly customized customer communications by aggregating data across disparate business systems. The startup enters the market with $5 million in seed...
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