Microsoft quietly assembles the largest AI agent ecosystem
Microsoft has quietly built the largest enterprise AI agent ecosystem, with over 100,000 organizations creating or editing AI agents through its Copilot Studio since launch – a milestone that positions the company ahead in one of enterprise tech’s most closely watched and exciting segments.
“That’s a lot faster than we thought, and it’s a lot faster than any other kind of cutting edge technology we’ve released,” Charles Lamanna, Microsoft’s executive responsible for the company’s agent vision, told VentureBeat. “And that was like a 2x growth in just a quarter.”
The rapid adoption comes as Microsoft significantly expands its agent capabilities. At its Ignite conference starting today, the company announced it will allow enterprises to use any of the 1,800 large language models (LLMs) in the Azure catalog within these agents – a significant move beyond its exclusive reliance on OpenAI’s models. The company also unveiled autonomous agents that can work independently, detecting events and orchestrating complex workflows with minimal human oversight.
These AI agents – software that can reason and perform specific business tasks using generative AI – are emerging as a powerful tool for enterprise automation and productivity. Microsoft’s platform enables organizations to build these agents for tasks ranging from customer service to complex business process automation, while maintaining enterprise-grade security and governance.
Amazon India to take on Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto with ‘Tez’
Amazon India is gearing up to launch its quick commerce service, Tez, by late December 2024 or early 2025, as reported by The Economic Times. This move marks Amazon’s first global entry into the quick commerce sector, which is rapidly expanding in India with competitors like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart driving significant sales.
Originally slated for a first-quarter 2025 launch, Amazon is now expediting Tez to capitalise on the fast-growing ecommerce segment in India. According to the report, a monthly review meeting in early December is expected to finalise the plans. The initiative, described as a “greenfield, grounds-up” project in job listings, is focusing on team building and logistics infrastructure, including setting up dark stores and stock-keeping categories, starting with groceries and essentials.
Amazon will face tough competition from existing players in the quick commerce space. Flipkart has already launched its quick delivery service, Minutes, ahead of the festive season. BigBasket, owned by Tata, has shifted to the quick model and recorded Rs 900 crore in gross sales last month. Tata Digital’s Neu Flash is also expanding operations following its launch in October.
Myntra launches ‘M-Now’ pilot for two-hour deliveries
Myntra , the lifestyle e-commerce platform backed by Flipkart, has begun piloting a two-hour delivery service called M-Now in select areas of Bengaluru, PTI reported.
According to the report, the initiative, which is currently limited to a few pin codes, aims to test the feasibility of ultra-fast deliveries in the fashion and lifestyle segment.
The pilot offers a curated selection of products to gauge customer response and operational efficiency. Based on insights gathered during this phase, the service could be expanded to additional locations.
A Myntra spokesperson confirmed the development, explaining that they had introduced M-Express to improve customer experience with deliveries within 24-48 hours, the report added.
Now, they are testing an even faster delivery service in specific pin codes and will evaluate the possibility of expanding it further base.
The company’s earlier initiative, M-Express, was rolled out in 2022 across metro cities to provide expedited delivery within 24-48 hours.
Is LinkedIn the new 1-800?
Customer service failures have long been frustrating, and social media has been a natural outlet for grievances. While Twitter (now X) has always been the go-to platform for complaints, LinkedIn is emerging as a powerful alternative, particularly in the professional space. Two recent incidents highlighted this shift for me. In the first, a family member waited over 10 days for Aramex to pick up a return for her Nike sneakers. Despite numerous emails and chats, the issue remains unresolved until we posted on both Twitter and LinkedIn. To my surprise, LinkedIn delivered the impact, within 40 minutes of moving to LinkedIn DMs, the return was picked up.
Nvidia unveils new AI model capable of modifying voices
Nvidia has introduced a new generative AI model, Fugatto, capable of generating and transforming audio, music, and voices based on text and audio prompts. The technology targets industries such as music production, film, and video games, offering advanced tools for creating and modifying audio content, as per an official blog post by Nvidia.
Fugatto, short for Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1, stands out from existing AI models due to its ability to process and alter existing audio in addition to generating entirely new sounds, says Nvidia. For example, it can transform a piano recording into a vocal rendition, alter a speaker’s accent or emotional tone, or generate entirely novel sounds like a trumpet mimicking a dog’s bark.
Quick commerce platforms spot a big surge in ad revenues
As quick commerce continues to see rapid growth, platforms in the sector have seen a significant surge in revenue from advertising.
Market leader Blinkit, which reported a nearly fourfold jump in ad revenue to more than Rs 400 crore for 2023-24, is on track to earn more than Rs 1,000 crore from ads in this financial year.
Zepto is also on a Rs 1,000 crore revenue run-rate from advertisement services, which offer higher margins to companies than other revenue lines.
Swiggy, which went public earlier this month, said it is making efforts to increase the contribution of advertising revenue to its overall revenue.
“One of the obvious reasons why brands want to advertise on quick commerce increasingly is that the user base on platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart is expanding at a rapid pace,” said a quick commerce executive, who did not wish to be identified.
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BC Web Wise wins social media mandate for TATA Power
BC Web Wise has won the end-to-end social media mandate for TATA Power, aiming to reshape the brand’s digital engagement strategy.
TATA Power has been at the forefront of innovation, particularly in the renewable energy space. The company has been increasingly focusing on digital transformation to connect with a broader audience and foster a community that supports green initiatives.
Pradnya Popade Former Marketing Communications Head, Samsonite South Asia Pvt Ltd .
Success story! Watch Pradnya Popade, former Marketing Communications Head, Samsonite South Asia Pvt Ltd, discusses how BC Web Wise has revolutionized driving ROI and surpassing their expectations!
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