How Businesses Are Leveraging AI Agents: A Glimpse at Five Pioneering Users

08.01.2024

AI agents are transforming business operations by performing complex tasks autonomously, beyond the capabilities of traditional chatbots. Companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, and Workday have introduced their own AI agents, designed to assist with everything from recruitment to IT management, promising greater efficiency and reduced need for human intervention. These agents offer the potential to significantly reduce employee work hours and, in some cases, minimize hiring needs, providing businesses with a strong return on investment.

Among the companies utilizing AI agents, Johnson & Johnson has integrated them into its drug discovery process. AI agents help optimize the chemical synthesis of pharmaceutical molecules, making decisions such as when to conduct solvent switches in the creation of drugs. While these agents expedite the process, J&J remains cautious, ensuring human oversight to prevent issues like biased output.

Moody’s, a financial analysis company, has developed 35 AI agents to assist in research and analysis, creating a multi-agent system. These agents work in tandem to analyze complex financial data and make decisions, such as assessing a company’s stability amidst geopolitical risk. Their ability to handle specialized tasks autonomously allows Moody’s to streamline operations and reduce reliance on human researchers.

eBay has developed AI agents to help automate tasks such as writing code and creating marketing campaigns. By using an “agent framework,” eBay’s agents can choose the best AI models for different tasks, becoming more autonomous over time as they learn from employee preferences. This enables the company to improve both internal operations and customer experience.

Deutsche Telekom and Cosentino are also using AI agents to enhance internal processes. Deutsche Telekom’s askT agent answers employee questions about internal policies and can even perform tasks like processing vacation requests. Meanwhile, Cosentino has deployed a digital workforce of AI agents to manage customer service tasks, replacing human employees for routine processes and allowing them to focus on more complex issues. These companies demonstrate how AI agents can increase efficiency across various industries.