Major tech companies made big moves in AI agent technology this week. OpenAI introduced a new 'Agent' mode for ChatGPT that can complete tasks for users - like booking restaurants or compiling reports - by connecting to apps like Gmail. Not to be outdone, Amazon's AWS launched AgentCore, a toolkit letting businesses build custom AI agents. They even started a $100 million fund to support agentic AI startups and created an AI Agents Marketplace for pre-built tools. These developments mark a shift toward autonomous systems that handle multi-step business processes.

Retail giants are locked in an AI automation race. Amazon is using generative AI to streamline its supply chain, while Walmart focuses on predictive analytics and voice shopping features. Both aim to dominate global retail through faster logistics and personalized customer experiences powered by AI agents.

Energy demands from AI are reshaping industries. Companies like Microsoft and Google are forming nuclear partnerships to power data centers sustainably. This addresses concerns about AI's carbon footprint and rising electricity costs as automation scales up.

Google's cybersecurity team released Big Sleep, an AI tool that automatically finds and disables unused websites that hackers might exploit. This proactive defense system shows how AI agents can handle security tasks that previously required human monitoring.

Controversially, over 64,000 tech workers lost jobs this year as companies replace roles with AI. Experts warn this short-term thinking may backfire: "Businesses cutting people today will regret it when they need innovators tomorrow," noting AI can't create new products like humans can.

Public sector adoption is growing too. Local governments are turning to civic AI tech to automate services amid budget constraints. These tools help manage paperwork and public requests more efficiently.

European AI firm Mistral upgraded its Le Chat chatbot with voice features and research capabilities, proving global competition in agent technology. Meanwhile, Meta invested heavily in AI talent and supercomputers after falling behind rivals.

While AI agents boost task efficiency, industry voices emphasize they should augment humans not replace them. The most successful companies will use AI to free workers for creative tasks rather than just cutting costs. As one expert noted: "Human creativity plus AI tools will outperform either alone" in driving real innovation.