News from the AI & ML world

DeeperML - #aiautomation

Tom Krazit@Runtime //
References: Runtime
ServiceNow is spearheading the integration of AI agents within enterprise IT, outlining a plan to automate various IT functions and processes. CEO Bill McDermott emphasized that the "control tower" for autonomous agentic AI within corporations will originate from the IT department. This vision positions IT, and specifically the chief digital information officer, as central to managing and securing AI deployments across the enterprise. ServiceNow introduced AI Control Tower, a centralized platform to govern, manage, and secure AI agents, models, and workflows, irrespective of whether they are from ServiceNow or third-party vendors.

The company has also launched numerous new AI agents designed to integrate with its core IT management software, including IT service management, operations management, and asset management. These agents aim to alleviate the burden of routine tasks on IT departments, such as resolving support tickets and streamlining incident response. According to Pablo Stern, executive vice president and general manager of Technology Workflow Products, these AI agents will handle "the menial work," ultimately reducing the number of human interventions required for various IT processes.

While ServiceNow is a prominent advocate for agentic AI, other companies are also exploring its potential. The rise of AI agents is also impacting the Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies of many companies. Scale Venture Partners has highlighted that AI agents are goal-oriented systems capable of observing, deciding, and acting within a defined environment. These agents are redefining roles in prospecting, forecasting, and customer success by making intelligent decisions and scaling proven strategies. Furthermore, agentic AI software development is also transforming low-code and no-code platforms, potentially impacting the future roles of software engineers as AI-assisted coding becomes more prevalent.

Recommended read:
References :
  • Runtime: Who gets to control the AI agents?

@www.microsoft.com //
The advent of "agentic AI" marks a significant shift in the technological landscape, characterized by AI agents capable of autonomous action. These agents, as seen in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, are being deployed to automate tasks, streamline processes, and ultimately redefine how work is done. While the term "agentic AI" might be new, the underlying concept of software agents isn't, tracing back to simple systems with a target function to optimize autonomously. The current excitement stems from the integration of these agents with modern AI systems, enabling them to extract data, interact with systems, and potentially offer new modes of operation within businesses.

The integration of AI agents into business processes, particularly within ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365, is poised to revolutionize operations. Rather than just acting as assistants, these agents function as "digital colleagues," taking on specific tasks and transforming human-dependent processes into intelligent, scalable automation. Organizations are expecting these agents to be moderately or extensively integrated into their company’s AI strategy. This shift promises to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and accelerate decision-making across key areas such as finance, supply chain, and project operations.

However, the rise of agentic AI is not without its critiques. Concerns are emerging about whether the increasing reliance on AI-generated content leads to a flattening of ideas and a regression toward mediocrity. There's a growing sentiment that as AI churns out structurally sound but uninspired content, the uniqueness and originality of human thought might be suppressed. Yet, conversely, agentic AI is also being recognized for its potential to empower the disenfranchised, lowering the barrier to entry for research and giving a voice to those who were previously unheard. This duality highlights the need for careful consideration of both the benefits and potential drawbacks as agentic AI continues to evolve.

Recommended read:
References :
  • Bernard Marr: 5 AI Agent Myths You Need To Stop Believing Now
  • www.lastwatchdog.com: MY TAKE: Beyond agentic AI mediocrity — the real disruption is empowering the disenfranchised
  • www.microsoft.com: A new era in business processes: Autonomous agents for ERP
  • drive.starcio.com: Are Engineers Prepared for the Emerging Agentic AI Software Development World?

@learn.aisingapore.org //
Amazon is expanding its AI capabilities, focusing on both customer-facing and internal operational improvements. A key development is the enhanced Amazon Q Business, a generative AI-powered assistant now supporting anonymous user access. This feature allows businesses to create public-facing applications, such as Q&A sections on websites, documentation portals, and self-service customer support, without requiring user authentication. This provides guest users with AI-driven assistance to quickly find product information, navigate documentation, and troubleshoot issues.

The anonymous Amazon Q Business applications can be integrated into websites using either an embedded web experience via an iframe or through customized interfaces built with Chat, ChatSync, and PutFeedback APIs. Amazon offers a consumption-based pricing model for these anonymous applications, charging based on the number of Chat or ChatSync API operations. This allows businesses to offer powerful AI assistance to a wider audience while maintaining control over costs and deployment.

In addition to AI-powered customer service, Amazon is also enhancing its warehouse operations with the introduction of the Vulcan robot. Equipped with gripping pincers, built-in conveyor belts, and a pointed probe, Vulcan is designed to handle 75% of the package types in Amazon's fulfillment centers. This robot represents a significant advancement in robotics, as it can "feel" objects, enabling it to handle a variety of items with the necessary strength and agility. Amazon says this "touch" capability is a fundamental leap forward, differentiating Vulcan from previous robots that lacked the ability to sense contact.

Recommended read:
References :
  • learn.aisingapore.org: Build public-facing generative AI applications using Amazon Q Business for anonymous users
  • techstrong.ai: Amazon’s Vulcan Has the ‘Touch’ to Handle Most Packages
  • eWEEK: Amazon’s Vulcan Robot with Sense of Touch: ‘Fundamental Leap Forward in Robotics’
  • www.eweek.com: Amazon’s Vulcan Robot with Sense of Touch: ‘Fundamental Leap Forward in Robotics’

@techradar.com //
AI agents are rapidly transforming business operations, marketing strategies, and customer support systems. Recent findings indicate a potential 25% decrease in browser searches by the end of the year as AI algorithms increasingly handle shopping tasks. Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are already experiencing the benefits of AI-powered voice agents, with a Vida survey reporting increased revenue, improved customer engagement, and enhanced industry leadership positioning among early adopters. However, the adoption of AI voice agents remains uneven, primarily due to concerns about customer preferences for human interaction and potential implementation complexities.

Sendbird Inc. has launched an "omnipresent" AI agent designed to proactively address customer service issues across multiple channels, including web, mobile, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and voice. This agent maintains conversation history, allowing seamless transitions between channels and resolving issues before customers even contact support. By anticipating problems like delivery delays, the AI agent can autonomously handle rescheduling or cancellations, escalating to human support only when necessary. According to IDC, this shift towards omnipresent and proactive support enhances customer experiences, reduces friction, and improves loyalty.

As AI agents become more integrated into business processes, security concerns are also escalating. Marta Dern Simon, senior product marketing manager at Oasis Security, emphasizes the emerging challenges in managing and securing these agents, particularly regarding permissions and potential cyberattacks. With AI agents expanding the attack surface, organizations must carefully authenticate, manage, and monitor them, assigning appropriate privilege levels and limiting access to align with specific tasks. RSAC 2025 highlighted the growing demand for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) as businesses prioritize protecting AI/ML models and data pipelines.

Recommended read:
References :
  • insideAI News: A new survey from AI voice solutions company Vida shows that small and mid-sized businesses that are early adopters of AI-powered voice agents are seeing increased revenue, improved customer engagement and stronger positioning as industry leaders, according to ....
  • Bernard Marr: AI agents are transforming how consumers make purchasing decisions. Research shows that browser searches could drop 25% by year-end as algorithms take over shopping tasks
  • AI ? SiliconANGLE: Sendbird Inc., an artificial intelligence communications and conversation platform, today announced the launch of what the company calls  an “omnipresent” AI agent that can handle customer service issues proactively rather than just reacting to them.
  • www.marktechpost.com: In today’s fast-paced financial landscape, leveraging specialized AI agents to handle discrete aspects of analysis is key to delivering timely, accurate insights.
  • www.techradar.com: To take advantage of agentic AI, businesses must prioritize specialization, trust, and human collaboration.
  • The Rundown AI: Exclusive: UiPath launches next-gen platform for 'Agentic Automation'
  • techstrong.ai: AI Leadership Insights: How AI Agents Navigate API Barriers
  • The Register - Software: AI agents promise big things. How can we support them?

Noor Al-Sibai@futurism.com //
Duolingo, the popular language-learning application, is shifting to an "AI-first" model, initiating a restructuring of its operations to focus on generative AI for content creation and process automation. This move includes a gradual reduction in reliance on contractors, with AI taking over tasks where possible. CEO Luis von Ahn conveyed this strategic shift in an internal memo, emphasizing the need to proactively respond to technological changes, similar to the company’s successful early adoption of a "mobile first" strategy in 2012. He noted that AI is already transforming how work is accomplished within the company.

The primary objective of this transition is to accelerate content delivery and increase its scale. Duolingo views manual content creation as no longer viable for meeting its needs, emphasizing that replacing slow, manual processes with AI-driven solutions is key to providing the desired amount of content for learners in a fraction of the time. Von Ahn stated that without AI, producing new materials would take decades, and that AI integration will also support new features, including video calls. He made sure to note that one of the best decisions the company made recently was replacing a slow, manual content creation process with one powered by AI.

Following the announcement of its "AI-first" strategy, Duolingo launched 148 new language courses created with generative AI. CEO Luis von Ahn stated the company was able to develop more courses in less than a year than it had in the previous twelve years combined. The expansion primarily focuses on making seven popular non-English languages – Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin – available across all 28 of Duolingo's supported interface languages, aiming to dramatically expand access for speakers of languages that previously had limited learning options, particularly in Asia and Latin America.

Recommended read:
References :
  • The Register - Software: Duolingo jumps aboard the 'AI-first' train, will phase out contractors
  • the-decoder.com: Duolingo says AI let it build more courses in one year than it did over the past twelve
  • www.tomsguide.com: Duolingo now plans to use AI instead of new hires or contractors where possible
  • futurism.com: Pivot Power Duolingo, the gamified, owl-mascoted language learning app, is going "AI-first" — and replacing all its human contractors along the way.
  • THE DECODER: Duolingo says AI let it build more courses in one year than it did over the past twelve
  • www.artificialintelligence-news.com: Duolingo is restructuring parts of its workforce as it shifts toward becoming an “AI-first†company, according to an internal memo from CEO and co-founder Luis von Ahn that was later shared publicly on the company’s LinkedIn page.
  • Maginative: Duolingo launches 148 AI-generated language courses, expanding its offerings and emphasizing an “AI-first†strategy amid internal workforce changes.
  • AI News: Duolingo shifts to AI-first model, cutting contractor roles
  • PCMag Middle East ai: Duolingo adopts ‘AI-First’ Strategy, Will Eliminate All Contract Workers
  • The Tech Basic: The language learning application Duolingo launches 148 additional course offerings through its green-colored mascot. These courses were created using artificial intelligence (AI).
  • thetechbasic.com: Duolingo Launches 148 New Language Courses Made With AI
  • PCMag Middle East ai: Professor AI? Duolingo Creates 148 Courses Using Generative AI
  • The Verge: Duolingo said it just doubled its language courses thanks to AI

Noor Al-Sibai@futurism.com //
Duolingo is making a significant shift to an AI-first model, restructuring its operations to focus on generative AI for content creation and process automation. CEO Luis von Ahn announced plans to gradually reduce the company's reliance on contractors, aiming to automate tasks wherever possible. This transition marks a fundamental cultural shift, with leadership emphasizing the transformative power of AI in reshaping how work is accomplished. This mirrors the company's early adoption of a "mobile-first" strategy in 2012 which led to significant recognition.

This strategic move is driven by the need to deliver app content more quickly and at a greater scale. Duolingo states that manual content creation is no longer viable for meeting the company's needs. Replacing slow, manual processes with AI-driven solutions allows for the faster provision of content for learners. The company reported that AI has enabled them to build more courses in one year than in the previous twelve years combined. A large content expansion was recently launched by the company, releasing 148 new language courses which were all created using generative AI.

The implementation of AI extends beyond content creation, with plans to integrate it into hiring processes and employee performance reviews. Teams will be encouraged to prioritize automation before requesting additional resources. CEO Luis von Ahn stated that the changes are not intended to reduce the company's focus on employee well-being, adding that the move is not about replacing employees with AI but removing bottlenecks. Instead, the goal is to empower employees to focus on creativity, accelerating Duolingo's mission to deliver language instruction globally.

Recommended read:
References :
  • futurism.com: Pivot Power Duolingo, the gamified, owl-mascoted language learning app, is going "AI-first" — and replacing all its human contractors along the way. In an all-hands email that was later published in its entirety to LinkedIn, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced that the company would "gradually stop using contractors to do work that AI can handle." Part of that shift, von Ahn wrote, will essentially involve deploying it before it’s "100% perfect." "We're not going to rebuild everything overnight, and some things — like getting Al to understand our codebase-will take time," the CEO wrote. "However, we can't wait until […]
  • The Register - Software: Duolingo jumps aboard the 'AI-first' train, will phase out contractors
  • PCMag Middle East ai: Duolingo Adopts ‘AI-First’ Strategy, Will Eliminate All Contract Workers
  • the-decoder.com: Duolingo announces major shift toward generative AI and automation
  • www.tomsguide.com: Duolingo now plans to use AI instead of new hires or contractors where possible
  • THE DECODER: Duolingo says AI let it build more courses in one year than it did over the past twelve
  • AI News: Duolingo shifts to AI-first model, cutting contractor roles
  • bsky.app: Duolingo is phasing out contract workers and replacing them with AI tools. The company says it’ll make content faster and let staff "focus on creative work," but behind the scenes, it’s another example of AI reshaping the labor market overnight.
  • the-decoder.com: Duolingo says AI let it build more courses in one year than it did over the past twelve
  • www.artificialintelligence-news.com: Duolingo shifts to AI-first model, cutting contractor roles
  • PCMag Middle East ai: Professor AI? Duolingo Creates 148 Courses Using Generative AI
  • thetechbasic.com: Duolingo Launches 148 New Language Courses Made With AI

@news.microsoft.com //
References: Ken Yeung , The Dataiku Blog ,
AI agents are rapidly transforming business operations across various industries, with companies like HubSpot, Writer, and Microsoft leading the charge in developing and deploying these intelligent systems. These agents are designed to automate tasks, improve efficiency, and empower businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), to compete with larger enterprises. AI agents represent a significant shift in how work is approached, offering the potential to streamline processes and unlock new levels of productivity.

Microsoft is actively working to bring AI agents to organizations, emphasizing the importance of adopting an "AI-first mindset" to remain competitive. HubSpot has introduced new AI-powered tools built on its Breeze AI platform, including customer assistants, knowledge base tools, prospecting assistants, and content generators, all designed to help SMBs scale their go-to-market efforts. Writer has launched AI HQ, a centralized hub for enterprises to orchestrate agent-powered work, featuring a low-code Agent Builder and a library of ready-to-use agents for tasks across various sectors like finance and healthcare.

Beyond business applications, AI agents are also making strides in other fields. DeepMind has developed an AI that teaches itself to play Minecraft from scratch, demonstrating the ability to learn complex maneuvers without human guidance. Google DeepMind has created AI agents like AMIE and Co-Scientist that are outperforming human doctors in diagnostic accuracy and making independent scientific discoveries. Furthermore, efforts are underway to secure agentic AI systems from threats, ensure model context, and build robust AI architectures to support successful agent implementation.

Recommended read:
References :

@www.datasciencecentral.com //
AI is rapidly transforming user interface (UI) design by moving away from static interfaces to personalized experiences. AI-driven personalization uses machine learning, behavioral analytics, and real-time data processing to tailor digital interactions for individual users. Data is collected from various sources like browsing history and demographics, then analyzed to segment users into distinct profiles. AI systems then adapt content in real-time using reinforcement learning to create individualized experiences. Ninety-two percent of companies are now using AI-driven personalization to drive growth.

AI agents are not just automating processes; they're reinventing how businesses operate. Certinia, a leader in Professional Services Automation, leverages AI agents to help organizations manage processes from sales to delivery. According to a McKinsey study, businesses must look beyond automation and towards AI-driven reinvention to stay competitive. Agentic AI is capable of reshaping operations, acting autonomously, making decisions, and adapting dynamically.

This shift towards Agentic AI also introduces challenges, as companies must address regulatory issues like the EU AI Act, build AI literacy, and focus on use cases with clear ROI. AI governance can no longer be an afterthought. AI-powered systems must incorporate compliance mechanisms, data privacy protections, and explainability features to build trust among users and regulators. Organizations balancing autonomy with oversight in their Agentic AI deployments will likely see the greatest benefits.

Recommended read:
References :
  • www.artificialintelligence-news.com: We already find ourselves at an inflection point with AI. According to a recent study by McKinsey, we’ve reached the turning point where ‘businesses must look beyond automation and towards AI-driven reinvention’ to stay ahead of the competition.
  • www.datasciencecentral.com: The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly altered the landscape of user interface (UI) design, shifting from static, one-size-fits-all interfaces to highly adaptive, personalized experiences.

@blogs.microsoft.com //
References: IEEE Spectrum , IEEE Spectrum ,
Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and OpenAI are at the forefront of developing AI agents with the ability to interact with computers in a human-like manner. These agents are designed to perform a range of tasks, including web searches, form completion, and button clicks, enabling them to order groceries, request rides, or book flights. The models employ chain-of-thought reasoning to decompose complex instructions into manageable steps, requesting user input when necessary and seeking confirmation before executing final actions.

To address safety concerns such as prompt injection attacks, developers are implementing restrictions, such as preventing the agents from logging into websites or entering payment information. Anthropic was the first to unveil this functionality in October, with its Claude chatbot now capable of "using computers the way humans do." Google DeepMind is developing Mariner, built on top of Google’s Gemini 2 language model and OpenAI launched its computer-use agent (CUA), called Operator.

Recommended read:
References :
  • IEEE Spectrum: IEEE Spectrum discusses the development of AI agents that can use computers like humans, highlighting models from Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and OpenAI.
  • IEEE Spectrum: Article discussing OpenAI's computer-use agent, called Operator, and its ability to work with websites.
  • www.anthropic.com: Anthropic was the first to unveil this new functionality, with an announcement in October that its Claude chatbot can now “use computers the way humans do.â€�