The first phase of AI was predictive, the second was generative. Now the third wave is here: autonomous AI agents that can not only recommend actions but can reason and tackle multi-faceted projects without requiring human oversight at every step.
By 2027, half of companies that use GenAI will have launched AI agents, according to Deloitte.
“This is a trend,” Cathy Li, the World Economic Forum’s Head, AI, Data and Metaverse and Deputy Head of Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), said in an interview with The Innovator. “It is already here so we need make sure we think about the ramifications.”
To that end, the Forum and Capgemini published a new white paper on December 16, Navigating the AI Frontier: A Primer on the Evolution and Impact of AI Agents.
AI agent’s ability to manage complex tasks with minimal human intervention offers the promise of significantly increased efficiency and productivity, says the white paper. Additionally, the application of AI agents could play a crucial role in addressing the shortfall of skills in various industries, filling the gaps in areas where human expertise is lacking or in high demand.As the technology progresses AI agents are expected to be able to tackle open-ended, real-world challenges such as helping in scientific discovery, improving the efficiency of complex systems like supply chains or electrical grids, managing rare non-routine processes that are too infrequent to justify traditional automation, or enabling physical robots that can manipulate objects and navigate physical environments.
But AI agents also pose certain risks. Technical risks include errors and malfunctions and security issues including the potential for automating cyberattacks. The autonomous nature of AI agents raises ethical questions about decision-making and accountability and there are socioeconomic risks around potential job displacement and over-reliance and disempowerment.
The white paper urges corporates to take measures to mitigate these risks. It recommends:
- Establishing clear ethical guidelines that prioritize human rights, privacy and accountability is an essential measure to ensure that AI agents make decisions that are aligned with human and societal values.
- Prioritizing data governance and cybersecurity before deploying AI agents.
- Implementing public education and awareness strategies is essential to mitigate the risksof over-reliance and disempowerment in social interactions with AI agents.
- Improving the transparency of agents and implementing “human-in-the-loop” oversight, enabling agents to work autonomously while human experts review decisions after they’ve been made.
The Forum’s AI Governance Alliance, an initiative that unites industry leaders, governments, academic institutions, and civil society organizations to champion responsible global design and release of transparent and inclusive AI systems, has been working on the topic of AI agents for the last 18 months, says Li, and AI agents will be on the agenda at the Forum’s annual meeting in Davos January 20-25.
“There is more in-depth work to be done,” she says. “There are issues that need to be tackled because AI agents could exploit loopholes or act in unintended way socioeconomically. There is also concern about job displacement. If deployed in the right way it’s not about replacing humans, it’s more about augmenting what we do, but at the same time each company and organization need to deploy AI responsibility and keep the potential impact on the workforce in mind.”
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