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AI Firms Betting Big on Autonomous 'Agents' for Efficiency and Profitability

Tech brief - 5 minute read to stay informed.

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TECH BRIEF

Artificial intelligence (AI) companies are increasingly focusing on the development of autonomous programs, or "agents", capable of performing tasks and interacting with surroundings with minimal human input. With their potential for automating everything from administrative tasks to customer service, these agents represent vast opportunities for AI firms to monetize costly AI models. Despite technological limitations and trust issues, venture capitalists are heavily investing in the sector, with AI agent startups securing $8.2 billion in funding over the past year.

Analyst Joseph Moore at Morgan Stanley has reiterated his overweight rating on Nvidia following a meeting, stating that the firm remains the top choice in semiconductors. He highlighted Nvidia's potential for growth due to its frontline status in AI innovation, including its upcoming rack scale products and 'long thinking' tasks requiring increased computation. The Blackwell system NVL36/72 is anticipated to be beneficial as it provides a more capable processor to the AI markets. Furthermore, Moore expects Nvidia to increase its share of AI processors in 2025.

At the recent "We, Robot" event, Tesla's Optimus robots grabbed attention by displaying functionalities from mingling with crowds to playing rock-paper-scissors. The humanoid bots were displayed alongside the debut of Tesla's Robovan vehicle, aligning with CEO Elon Musk's vision of these robots initiating a "fundamental transformation for civilization" and reducing poverty. The company also unveiled its self-driving robotaxi and passenger van, maintaining its AI and robotics innovation position.

The US Department of Justice has suggested a suite of options to break Google's monopoly in search and search text advertising, following a federal judge's ruling in August. Responses range from preventing Google from buying default placements on services such as iPhone to breaking up the company. Google has strongly resisted the proposals. A hearing on the proposed remedies is scheduled for April next year, with a decision expected by August. The case is likely to be appealed, possibly even reaching the Supreme Court.

Tesla revealed 20 sleek Cybercab prototypes at its recent ""We, Robot"" event. This is part of the company's push towards autonomy, blending technology and automaking in their business model. Besides running a fleet of autonomous taxis through a Tesla app, CEO Elon Musk also plans for owners to rent out their cars, similar to Uber or Airbnb business model. However, questions remain over the viability of truly autonomous driving and compliance with safety laws.

Google is testing 'Quick View', a feature allowing users to access full cooking recipes, including images and directions, directly from its search results. Aimed at the recipe blog industry, this feature falls within Google's broader strategy of retaining users on its platform. According to a spokesperson, this is an early-stage experiment, implemented with selected creators through established agreements.

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