The first AI agents could start working for corporations this year, as AI companies aim for applications that provide substantial returns on their major investments in the technology.

The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, declares virtual workers might join the workforce this year and completely transform corporate operations.

AI Agents: Automation's Next Big Deal 

Microsoft, the largest investor in the business that created ChatGPT, has already announced the launch of AI agents, or tools that can do activities on their own. Among the early adopters of these tools is the prestigious consulting firm McKinsey.

Around a blog post last Monday, Sam Altman stated, “We believe that in 2025, we may see the first AI agents 'join the workforce' and materially change the output of companies.” 

Moreover, OpenAI is set to release an AI agent called “Operator” this month, following the release of the Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI model by rival Anthropic and Microsoft's Copilot Studio tool.

In addition, McKinsey is developing an agent to handle new client inquiries, with a prediction that by 2030, up to 30% of US economy-wide tasks could be automated. Operators will use computers to perform tasks like code writing or travel booking on the user's behalf.

Further, Microsoft's AI head, Mustafa Suleyman, announced last year that the company is advancing towards agents capable of making purchasing decisions, citing “stunning demos” and “car crash moments” in development. Suleyman expects these agents to emerge in quarters, not years.

OpenAI's Possibilities and Challenges 

Altman stated in his blog that OpenAI is confident in its ability to build artificial general intelligence (AGI), a term referring to AI systems that are generally smarter than humans. He also stated that OpenAI is now focusing on “superintelligence” and transforming its approach to AI.

In a Q&A with Bloomberg, Altman predicted Elon Musk will continue his feud with OpenAI this year, avoiding using his relationship with Donald Trump to harm the company.

He expected Musk to maintain his legal battle with OpenAI but played down the possibility of a cage fight with Musk, who asked Zuckerberg for a mixed martial arts bout in 2023.

Additionally, Elon Musk has reopened a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of prioritising profit over safety and actively attempting to eliminate competitors, following a drop in the initial lawsuit in June.

Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI in 2015, aiming to create a safe and beneficial AGI, but Musk left due to internal power struggles, resulting in a fractious history.

Ultimately, since Elon Musk introduced xAI in 2023, Altman thinks he won't abuse his position as co-president to take on OpenAI. Even if he could be proven incorrect, he thinks Musk's power within the Trump administration won't be exploited to hurt rival businesses.

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