OpenAI made waves with its new ChatGPT Agent on July 17. This AI helper can browse websites, fill out forms, and even shop for you – like ordering a wedding outfit by itself! It shows your progress on screen and lets humans check its work. People love how easy it is, though some wish it had stronger safety features. Sadly, people in Europe can't use it yet because of new rules.

Amazon revealed AgentCore on July 16 – a toolkit for building business AI helpers. They're putting $100 million extra into their AI lab to boost this work. An AWS leader called this shift tectonic, changing how we build and use software. Companies like Clarifai also released tools to build smarter AI agents faster.

Google had two big moves: First, their Gemini AI got major upgrades, becoming an expert helper across Google products. Second, they launched Big Sleep on July 16 – an AI guard that finds and shuts down dangerous websites before they attack people.

Businesses are seeing real benefits. A global bank saved 213,000 work-hours using AI helpers like Claude. But Amazon also cut some jobs, showing how AI changes workplaces. Experts warn we need strong guardrails as AI does more complex tasks alone.

Safety discussions grew louder. After a security flaw in Google's email AI, they fixed it fast and openly – making it a safety lesson. The European Union's strict rules kept OpenAI's agent out of Europe this week. An important virtual meeting in August will focus on securing agentic AI systems.

Looking ahead, Google signed a $2.4 billion deal for top AI talent, while experts predict AI helpers will soon be everywhere like Wi-Fi. The key challenge? Balancing amazing new skills with responsibility so everyone benefits.