Microsoft, Salesforce Battle Heats Up As AI Agent Technology Takes Center Stage

Microsoft Corp MSFT announced during its “AI Tour” event in London that businesses will be able to develop their own autonomous artificial intelligence agents starting in November.

These autonomous AI agents, which act as virtual assistants capable of performing tasks without supervision, are part of the company’s Copilot Studio platform.

The technology aims to streamline enterprise functions, allowing organizations to customize and create AI-driven agents.

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Microsoft’s Jared Spataro drew parallels between the AI-driven agents and smartphone apps for the AI age, Bloomberg reports.

In addition to the Copilot Studio updates, Microsoft plans to launch ten new AI agents for its Dynamics 365 suite. These will support various business operations, from sales to finance and supply chain management. The integration of AI agents is expected to boost efficiency across multiple industries, and Microsoft will show examples of real-world applications during the London event.

The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant also demonstrated how its AI agents could transform customer service.

The announcement follows Salesforce Inc’s CRM unveiling its AI tools in September with the launch of Agentforce. Salesforce’s platform allows businesses to build AI agents for enterprise-level tasks, positioning itself as a competitor in this rapidly growing space.

Microsoft also revealed a five-year deal with the UK government to offer its AI tools to public sector organizations. The agreement will provide access to Microsoft’s productivity tools, including Microsoft 365 and Azure, as well as AI-powered solutions such as Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Northland Capital found Salesforce’s Agentforce platform “on par” with Microsoft.

Wedbush’s Dan Ives projected upside from technology companies, including Salesforce from the AI wave led by Microsoft and Nvidia Corp NVDA.

Microsoft gained 27% in the last 12 months. Salesforce is up over 45%.

Investors can gain exposure to Microsoft through SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology XLK and iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF IVW.

Price Action: MSFT stock is down 0.36% at $416.66 premarket at last check Monday.

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• Salesforce’s Free Cash Flow Could Double by 2029 Amid AI Push, Analyst Says While Upgrading Stock

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