AI agents are computer programs that can think and act on their own to complete tasks. This week brought exciting news about how these agents are getting smarter and working together in teams.

Google's Search Gets Smarter

The biggest news came from Google in the United States. On August 21st, Google announced that its special AI Mode can now do complex tasks for users. Before, people had to search for restaurants, check availability, and make reservations themselves. Now they can simply tell Google's AI: "Book dinner for five people on Friday at an Italian restaurant near me." The AI agent will find good restaurants, check for open tables through booking websites like OpenTable and Resy, and even help complete the reservation.

Google is also making this AI helper more personal. It learns what kinds of food and places people like based on their past searches. The company plans to bring this feature to 180 new countries and territories, showing they want AI agents to help people everywhere.

Microsoft Builds Agent Teams

Microsoft introduced new tools to help businesses create teams of AI agents. Their Azure AI Foundry platform lets companies build different AI agents that specialize in different jobs. For example, one agent might be really good at finding information, while another is great at checking company rules and policies.

These agents can talk to each other and work together on big projects. When a person asks for help with a complex business task, an orchestrator agent can break down the job and give different parts to different specialist agents. This teamwork approach helps companies get work done faster and with better results.

Security Concerns Grow

As AI agents become more powerful, security experts are getting worried about bad actors using them for attacks. Unlike old computer viruses that follow simple rules, these AI agents can learn and change their behavior. They can have long conversations with people to trick them, explore computer networks to find weak spots, and even change their attack methods when security systems try to stop them.

New security guides are being created to help protect against these weaponized AI agents. The Cloud Security Alliance released a special testing guide that helps companies check if their AI agents are safe from attacks. These tests are different from regular security checks because AI agents can behave in unexpected ways.

Smaller AI Models Take Center Stage

NVIDIA published important research about using smaller AI models in agent systems. While big AI models like ChatGPT are very smart, they use lots of computer power and cost more money. NVIDIA found that smaller, specialized AI models often work better for specific agent tasks.

This approach saves money and makes AI agents work faster. Companies can use small AI models for everyday tasks and only use big, expensive models when they really need the extra smarts. This makes AI agents more practical for businesses of all sizes.

Future of Work Changes

Fujitsu, a big technology company, shared their vision of how AI agents will change work. They believe AI agents will become like trusted work partners, not just tools. In their example, a person named Lee works with an AI assistant called Nova to develop new clothing materials. Nova helps with research, writes documents, and handles boring tasks so Lee can focus on creative work.

Fujitsu is already testing real AI agents. One helps with meetings by suggesting useful information based on conversations. Another helps lawyers by reading legal documents and finding potential problems.

Healthcare and Government Applications

AI agent teams are also being tested in healthcare. Researchers are building systems where multiple AI agents work together to help doctors take care of patients. One agent might help with diagnosis while another plans treatment.

Federal agencies in the United States are exploring how AI agents can help with government work. These agents could help with national security, automate office work, and support scientific research while keeping everything secure and following government rules.

Looking Ahead

This week's developments show that AI agents are moving from simple helpers to sophisticated team players. As these systems get better at working together, they promise to change how we work, search for information, and solve complex problems across many industries.