Microsoft's Bold AI Move: The Birth of Autonomous Agents

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks in Chicago, marking the company's transformative shift towards 'agentic AI'. These AI 'agents' aim to perform tasks autonomously, but high costs are raising investor concerns. Meanwhile, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff critiques Microsoft's direction, claiming their AI assistant, Copilot, lacks reliability and leaks data.

In a significant announcement at a Chicago conference, Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella outlined the company's future in artificial intelligence, emphasizing a shift towards autonomous AI 'agents'. This pivot, however, faces scrutiny due to the substantial costs involved, which are causing some investors to question the feasibility of such technology.

Recently, Microsoft envisioned a future where organizations would benefit from a constellation of AI agents performing tasks like handling customer returns or managing supply-chain logistics. This was elaborated in a company blog, describing these agents as operating continuously to support business functions efficiently.

Despite Microsoft's vision, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has publicly criticized the approach. He argues that rebranding the company's AI tools as 'agents' signals desperation and insists that Microsoft's Copilot AI lacks accuracy, even asserting that it exposes corporate data.

(With inputs from agencies.)