Special Agent

The much-anticipated launches of Agent AI tools by two leading AI companies were overshadowed by the news surrounding DeepSeek, the Chinese large language model (LLM) that has surpassed OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the top app on Apple’s App Store. Both ChatGPT and DeepSeek are automated chatbots, but the latter has disrupted the world of generative AI with significantly lower costs.

The recent launches were led by Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Perplexity, which is backed by Nvidia and billionaire Jeff Bezos. OpenAI’s tool is named ‘Operator’, while Perplexity’s offering is called ‘Perplexity Assistant’.
What exactly is Agent AI?

For users, Agent AI represents a leap forward. Imagine no longer having to trawl through multiple websites to book tickets or hotels for a trip to Europe. Simply provide your credit card details and share a few specifics—say, you’re travelling with a pet, a mischievous daughter and a fastidious wife to Paris, where you’d like to visit its finest museums, explore Versailles, and delve into the history of Normandy.

Agent AI will handle everything for you, accommodating even the most specific requests—and it’ll even print out the tickets.

Task Master

According to Sreejith Sreedharan, an AI expert, Agent AI has a wide range of applications. He explains, “For solopreneurs, Agent AI could be a gamechanger. Imagine managing your business without the burden of repetitive tasks like replying to emails, scheduling meetings, tracking invoices, or even creating content. An AI agent could automate all of this, freeing you to focus on growth and innovation.”

Platforms Galore

Perplexity Assistant is currently available in 15 languages on Google’s Play Store. “We’d love to make it available on iOS, and if Apple grants us the necessary permissions, we’ll make it happen,” a Perplexity spokesperson told Reuters. In addition, tech giants such as Amazon and Apple are also developing advanced Agent AI tools, aiming to tap into this burgeoning market.

The Adaptor

Here is how the consulting firm BCG defines AI agents: They have the ability to remember across tasks and adapt to changing states. They can utilise one or more AI models to complete tasks and decide when to access internal or external systems on a user’s behalf. This capability allows AI agents to make decisions and take actions autonomously with minimal human oversight.

Agent AIAI modelsChatGPTOpenAIPerplexity AssistantSreejith SreedharanTech talk