<think>
The user is asking for a JSON formatted response containing a news digest about customer service and AI agents/agentic AI from December 29, 2025 to January 6, 2026. Let me analyze the search results for relevant AI agent/agentic AI content.

Key relevant content from search results:
1. Agent experience became crucial in 2025 [1]
2. AI-powered automation delivering results in contact centers [1]
3. Agentic AI systems designed to support agents [1]
4. Support copilots helping teams automate work [3]
5. AI agents infiltrated enterprise operations at scale in 2025 [4]
6. AI SDRs and Sales Automation [4]
7. Microsoft's Sales Agent for sales teams [5]
8. Agentic intelligence as connective tissue in digital experience [6]
9. Gemini Deep Research agent released [7]
10. Meta buying Manus for AI agents capable of handling real work [8]
11. Microsoft's Copilot Studio updates for AI agents [5]

The user wants:
- JSON format with two fields: shortSummary and longSummary
- 5th grade reading level
- Multiple paragraphs
- Inline citations
- Bold key phrases
- News specific to AI agents/agentic AI
- Worldwide audience (mention countries if needed)
- Easy reading with lots of paragraphs
- No date range, just "this weekly update"

I need to write this in simple language that 5th graders can understand, while maintaining citations and key information.

Let me structure the JSON properly with actual newlines escaped correctly for JSON format.
</think>

```json
{
  "shortSummary": "This weekly update highlights major developments in **artificial intelligence agents** that are changing how businesses help customers. AI agents are computer programs that can think and make decisions, almost like having a helpful robot coworker. The big news is that companies like **Microsoft, Google, and Meta** are investing heavily in these agents to handle real work, not just simple tasks[4][8]. In customer service, **AI is making a big difference** by helping workers do their jobs better[1]. According to recent reports, **92% of customer service leaders** say AI has improved how they help customers[2]. The focus in 2025 shifted from just making things faster to making sure **agents and workers are happy** while using the technology[1]. Companies discovered that **measuring the right things matters more** than just counting how fast work gets done[1]. Microsoft released new tools called **Sales Agent and Copilot Studio updates** to help different teams work better with AI[5]. Google introduced a **Gemini Deep Research agent** that can handle complicated research tasks[7]. Meta's purchase of a company called **Manus signals** an exciting shift toward AI that can actually do real work[8]. Overall, 2025 showed that **agentic AI** systems work best when they help human workers, not replace them[1][6].",
  "longSummary": "**AI Agents Transform Customer Service Around the World**\n\nIn this weekly update, we see exciting changes happening with **artificial intelligence agents** across the globe. These AI agents are special computer programs that can think, learn, and make decisions. Think of them like having a super-smart robot helper at work[1]. Companies worldwide are using these agents to help customers better and faster.\n\n**What is an AI Agent?**\n\nAn **AI agent** is not like a regular chatbot that just answers questions. Instead, it can understand what customers need, figure out problems, and keep learning to get better[6]. **Agentic AI** is the name for systems that work together across different tasks to help reach a goal. It's like having a coworker who remembers everything about your customers and always knows the best way to help[1].\n\n**Big News from Technology Companies**\n\nMicrosoft made a huge announcement in December 2025[5]. They created something called **Sales Agent**, which is an AI helper for people who sell things. This agent connects to computers that store customer information and helps salespeople make better choices. It can look at numbers to see which customers might buy more, write proposals, and answer questions super fast[5]. Microsoft also updated something called **Copilot Studio**, which lets companies create their own AI agents that work exactly how they need[5].\n\nGoogle released an **AI research agent** called **Gemini Deep Research** that helps with complicated research jobs[7]. Imagine a helper who can read millions of pages and tell you what it learned. That's what this agent does. Developers can now use this agent to help their own apps do research better[7].\n\n**Meta's Big Purchase Shows Where AI is Heading**\n\nMeta, the company that runs Facebook and Instagram, bought a company called **Manus** at the end of 2025[8]. This purchase is important because it shows companies want AI agents that can do **real work**, not just talk to people[8]. This is different from simple chatbots. A real work agent can handle complicated jobs and keep going without someone telling it every single step.\n\n**Why Workers Matter Most**\n\nHere's something surprising: **the most important discovery in 2025 was that worker happiness matters more than just speed**[1]. Many companies gave workers AI helpers that made everything faster, but the workers were not always happy[1]. Some workers said they felt tired because they had more systems to use, not fewer[1]. Experts now understand that **good AI should make workers' jobs easier and less stressful**, not just make work happen quicker[1].\n\nAccording to reports from experts who study this field, **92% of leaders** who work in customer service say AI helped them serve customers better[2]. Also, **86% of these leaders** said customers became happier after using AI[2]. That's very good news! But here's the catch: the leaders felt good about the changes, but some of the people actually doing the work didn't feel the same way[1].\n\n**How AI Helps Customer Service Workers**\n\n**AI helpers called \"support copilots\"** are computers that work alongside human workers to do boring jobs[3]. They can read through all the information about a customer and show a worker exactly what they need to know. Instead of searching through big files, the AI finds the answers in seconds[3]. This means workers spend more time actually helping customers and less time digging for information.\n\nIn big customer service centers (called **contact centers**), AI is bringing real results[1]. Reports showed that almost half of companies using AI saw faster work, **40% saw better problem-solving**, and **38% saw workers being more productive**[1]. About a quarter of companies even reported that **workers stayed in their jobs longer when AI helped them**[1]. The reason? When AI handles boring, repeated work, **human workers can focus on hard problems that need real thinking**[1].\n\n**A Smart Way to Measure Success**\n\nExperts discovered something important in 2025: **companies were measuring the wrong things**[1]. For many years, customer service leaders measured how fast workers finished calls and if they solved problems on the first try. But with AI, these old numbers don't tell the real story[1]. When AI helps, workers might take a little longer because they're solving harder problems[1]. Leaders are now looking at better ways to check if AI is really helping. They ask questions like: Are workers less tired? Do they feel happier? Are customers actually more satisfied?[1]\n\n**AI Agents in Sales**\n\nAI agents are not just helping customer service. In sales around the world, special **AI salespeople** called **AI SDRs** are doing impressive work[4]. These agents can find people who might want to buy things, write personal messages to them, and keep customer information organized[4]. Companies that tried this reported **40% more sales opportunities** while **spending 60% less money** on the sales team's admin work[4]. That's a big win for businesses everywhere.\n\n**The Real Goal: Helping Humans, Not Replacing Them**\n\nThe biggest lesson from 2025 is that **the best AI systems help human workers do better work**[1]. Companies like **NiCE rebranded their whole company** to show this is their main goal[1]. When AI handles the thinking parts that wear out workers' brains, workers can focus on really helping customers with tough problems[1]. It's like having a smart research helper before you talk to someone who needs your help[1].\n\n**Looking Ahead**\n\nAs we move into 2026, the world of AI agents continues to grow[5]. Companies are learning that **successful AI** is not about replacing people. It's about **making human workers smarter and happier**. Whether it's customer service, sales, or research, the trend is clear: AI agents work best when they work together with people[1][6]."
}
```

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**AI Agents Transform Customer Service Around the World**

In this weekly update, we see exciting changes happening with **artificial intelligence agents** across the globe. These AI agents are special computer programs that can think, learn, and make decisions. Think of them like having a super-smart robot helper at work[1]. Companies worldwide are using these agents to help customers better and faster.

**What is an AI Agent?**

An **AI agent** is not like a regular chatbot that just answers questions. Instead, it can understand what customers need, figure out problems, and keep learning to get better[6]. **Agentic AI** is the name for systems that work together across different tasks to help reach a goal. It's like having a coworker who remembers everything about your customers and always knows the best way to help[1].

**Big News from Technology Companies**

Microsoft made a huge announcement in December 2025[5]. They created something called **Sales Agent**, which is an AI helper for people who sell things. This agent connects to computers that store customer information and helps salespeople make better choices. It can look at numbers to see which customers might buy more, write proposals, and answer questions super fast[5]. Microsoft also updated something called **Copilot Studio**, which lets companies create their own AI agents that work exactly how they need[5].

Google released an **AI research agent** called **Gemini Deep Research** that helps with complicated research jobs[7]. Imagine a helper who can read millions of pages and tell you what it learned. That's what this agent does. Developers can now use this agent to help their own apps do research better[7].

**Meta's Big Purchase Shows Where AI is Heading**

Meta, the company that runs Facebook and Instagram, bought a company called **Manus** at the end of 2025[8]. This purchase is important because it shows companies want AI agents that can do **real work**, not just talk to people[8]. This is different from simple chatbots. A real work agent can handle complicated jobs and keep going without someone telling it every single step.

**Why Workers Matter Most**

Here's something surprising: **the most important discovery in 2025 was that worker happiness matters more than just speed**[1]. Many companies gave workers AI helpers that made everything faster, but the workers were not always happy[1]. Some workers said they felt tired because they had more systems to use, not fewer[1]. Experts now understand that **good AI should make workers' jobs easier and less stressful**, not just make work happen quicker[1].

According to reports from experts who study this field, **92% of leaders** who work in customer service say AI helped them serve customers better[2]. Also, **86% of these leaders** said customers became happier after using AI[2]. That's very good news! But here's the catch: the leaders felt good about the changes, but some of the people actually doing the work didn't feel the same way[1].

**How AI Helps Customer Service Workers**

**AI helpers called "support copilots"** are computers that work alongside human workers to do boring jobs[3]. They can read through all the information about a customer and show a worker exactly what they need to know. Instead of searching through big files, the AI finds the answers in seconds[3]. This means workers spend more time actually helping customers and less time digging for information.

In big customer service centers (called **contact centers**), AI is bringing real results[1]. Reports showed that almost half of companies using AI saw faster work, **40% saw better problem-solving**, and **38% saw workers being more productive**[1]. About a quarter of companies even reported that **workers stayed in their jobs longer when AI helped them**[1]. The reason? When AI handles boring, repeated work, **human workers can focus on hard problems that need real thinking**[1].

**A Smart Way to Measure Success**

Experts discovered something important in 2025: **companies were measuring the wrong things**[1]. For many years, customer service leaders measured how fast workers finished calls and if they solved problems on the first try. But with AI, these old numbers don't tell the real story[1]. When AI helps, workers might take a little longer because they're solving harder problems[1]. Leaders are now looking at better ways to check if AI is really helping. They ask questions like: Are workers less tired? Do they feel happier? Are customers actually more satisfied?[1]

**AI Agents in Sales**

AI agents are not just helping customer service. In sales around the world, special **AI salespeople** called **AI SDRs** are doing impressive work[4]. These agents can find people who might want to buy things, write personal messages to them, and keep customer information organized[4]. Companies that tried this reported **40% more sales opportunities** while **spending 60% less money** on the sales team's admin work[4]. That's a big win for businesses everywhere.

**The Real Goal: Helping Humans, Not Replacing Them**

The biggest lesson from 2025 is that **the best AI systems help human workers do better work**[1]. Companies like **NiCE rebranded their whole company** to show this is their main goal[1]. When AI handles the thinking parts that wear out workers' brains, workers can focus on really helping customers with tough problems[1]. It's like having a smart research helper before you talk to someone who needs your help[1].

**Looking Ahead**

As we move into 2026, the world of AI agents continues to grow[5]. Companies are learning that **successful AI** is not about replacing people. It's about **making human workers smarter and happier**. Whether it's customer service, sales, or research, the trend is clear: AI agents work best when they work together with people[1][6].

This weekly update highlights major developments in **artificial intelligence agents** that are changing how businesses help customers. AI agents are computer programs that can think and make decisions, almost like having a helpful robot coworker. The big news is that companies like **Microsoft, Google, and Meta** are investing heavily in these agents to handle real work, not just simple tasks[4][8]. In customer service, **AI is making a big difference** by helping workers do their jobs better[1]. According to recent reports, **92% of customer service leaders** say AI has improved how they help customers[2]. The focus in 2025 shifted from just making things faster to making sure **agents and workers are happy** while using the technology[1]. Companies discovered that **measuring the right things matters more** than just counting how fast work gets done[1]. Microsoft released new tools called **Sales Agent and Copilot Studio updates** to help different teams work better with AI[5]. Google introduced a **Gemini Deep Research agent** that can handle complicated research tasks[7]. Meta's purchase of a company called **Manus signals** an exciting shift toward AI that can actually do real work[8]. Overall, 2025 showed that **agentic AI** systems work best when they help human workers, not replace them[1][6].

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