8 bits For a Byte - AI’s Next Frontier: The Rise of Agentic Intelligence - 11/17/24

Transform Data Into Action: Unleash the Power of Agentic AI

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Welcome to 8 bits for a Byte: What’s driving the future of AI? This week, we explore the game-changing potential of Agentic AI, celebrate the innovative companies on the AI 50 list, and reveal the secrets to unlocking AI ROI. Whether you’re looking to improve productivity, cut costs, or stay ahead of your competitors, this newsletter has everything you need to know.

Super excited to share with our LinkedIn Readership:

Future Proof: Where Law Meets AI

Video Podcast

?? Welcome to Episode 1 of Future Proof: Where Law Meets AI! Dive into the groundbreaking intersection of artificial intelligence and the legal landscape with Silicon Valley veteran Rob Franklin (Me :-)) and Austin-based attorney EJ Archuleta. In this debut episode, Rob and EJ bring together years of tech and legal expertise, exploring the critical, often uncharted, questions facing AI today—from liability and regulation to the ethical challenges AI creators and users must confront.

From quirky Texas BBQ talk to actionable insights on navigating AI’s impact, this episode is packed with everything you need to know about the future of AI and law. Get the latest updates, see what the White House's national security memorandum on AI means for the industry, and uncover how companies and individuals can stay ahead in this rapidly evolving space. If you're looking to understand the future of AI, don’t miss out! Drop a comment, hit subscribe, and join us in future-proofing your journey in AI! ????

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Let’s Get To It!

Here's what caught my eye in the world of AI this week:

1. What Is Agentic AI?

Get ready to meet the AI game-changer everyone’s talking about: Agentic AI. This cutting-edge technology doesn’t just analyze data; it perceives, reasons, acts, and learns to solve complex challenges across industries. Whether it’s optimizing supply chains, enhancing customer service, or revolutionizing healthcare, Agentic AI is the tool that transforms vast datasets into strategic, actionable insights.

Curious about how it works and why it’s a must-have for your organization? Dive in now to discover how you can harness this AI revolution and lead your industry forward! Below is my a great quote I pulled from the above video.

Data into knowledge and knowledge into action

Executive Summary?

Agentic AI is revolutionizing productivity across industries by using advanced reasoning and iterative planning to autonomously solve complex, multi-step problems. Unlike traditional generative AI, which responds to single interactions, agentic AI takes a proactive role, analyzing data from multiple sources, developing strategies, and executing tasks autonomously. NVIDIA's Blueprints offer businesses an accessible pathway to harness agentic AI, featuring sample applications, reference code, and tools to accelerate adoption. This next-gen AI marks a transformative chapter in AI-driven operations, enhancing efficiency in areas from customer service to healthcare.

Key Points:

• How Agentic AI Works: Agentic AI follows a powerful four-step process—perceive, reason, act, and learn—to independently tackle complex problems. Its ability to iterate through feedback loops enhances operational efficiency and accuracy over time.

• Game-Changing Applications Across Industries: Agentic AI is already driving massive improvements in customer service, content creation, software engineering, and healthcare. By automating routine tasks and providing data-driven insights, it frees professionals to focus on high-impact work, fueling innovation and productivity.

• Getting Started with NVIDIA Blueprints: NVIDIA’s end-to-end AI platform, including the new Blueprints, provides tools and resources for implementing agentic AI. These resources are tailored to help organizations easily adopt AI agents and create impactful, scalable solutions that leverage enterprise data effectively.

Quote of the week

2. My thoughts of quote

Give it up to Mike for lasting 8 rounds and making me run behind on posting my newsletter :-).

3. Marc Andreessen - The Industries AI Will Impact Most

My first major IT project as a developer was implementing our company’s very first intranet on a browser called Netscape back in 1995. I’ve been a fan of Marc Andreessen ever since. The next 30 years of technology promise to be incredibly exciting and truly mind-blowing!

Executive Summary

This article emphasizes AI’s role as a transformative force in technology, comparing its potential impact to that of the microprocessor, personal computer, and internet. AI is now influencing nearly every industry, from healthcare to entertainment, while advancements in robotics promise to revolutionize how we live and work. By embedding AI in devices like robots and interactive toys, tech leaders envision a future where AI-driven machines become as common and accessible as today’s digital tools, transforming our interactions and productivity in profound ways.

Key Points

1. AI’s Era-Defining Impact

• AI is recognized as a revolutionary technology on par with the biggest advancements in tech history. It’s already influencing various industries with solutions that will not only streamline operations but also change the way companies innovate, and redefine what’s possible in fields like healthcare, entertainment, and beyond.

2. Healthcare, Entertainment & Robotics—AI’s “Big Three”

• Healthcare is set to see transformative advancements, particularly in drug discovery and personalized medicine, driven by AI’s capabilities in analyzing complex biological data.

• Entertainment is already harnessing AI’s potential to create immersive experiences, with endless possibilities for dynamic storytelling, interactive content, and personalized engagement.

• Robotics is advancing rapidly; soon, robots may become household companions and workplace assistants, performing a range of tasks previously limited to science fiction.

3. The Road to Friendly, Accessible Robotics

• AI-powered robotics are nearing consumer readiness, as self-piloting drones and self-driving cars pave the way for versatile, human-friendly robots. Through improved sensory tech and conversational AI, these robots could become intuitive, approachable companions in homes and workplaces—designed to assist, interact, and even entertain. The goal is a seamless integration where robots enhance human life safely and effectively.

4. Six words for Strategy that are way more useful than Strategy

I rarely refer to LinkedIn posts in my newsletter but I really like this post on strategy.

This is an exercise that can transform your business in 10 mins.

Just do this:

1. Go through this document

2. Take each one of these words

3. Turn them into questions in this format “What is our _____?”

4. Answer them for your business

Author - Alex M H Smith

5. Unlocking generative AI’s true value: a guide to measuring ROI

Great article on a challenge many companies are navigating! My advice: start simple. Focus on low-hanging fruit use cases that clearly demonstrate the value of Gen AI early on.

Executive Summary:

Generative AI (gen AI) has sparked massive investment, but businesses are grappling with measuring its ROI. A KPMG survey shows 78% of executives are confident in gen AI’s potential, yet the challenge lies in quantifying its value amidst intangible benefits, delayed returns, and lack of standardization. Companies must move beyond traditional metrics, adopting nuanced approaches to unlock gen AI’s transformative potential across industries like healthcare, finance, and retail.

Key Points:

1. Challenges in Measuring ROI:

• Lack of Standards: No universal metrics make cross-industry benchmarking inconsistent.
• Attribution Complexity: Isolating gen AI’s impact from market or operational shifts is challenging.
• Intangible Benefits: Gen AI’s value in decision-making or customer experience often resists financial quantification.

2. Strategies for ROI Success:

• Start with focused, high-impact use cases to demonstrate early value.
• Use a balanced scorecard combining quantitative (productivity, cost savings) and qualitative metrics (customer satisfaction, innovation).
• Refine continuously with human oversight and iterative learning cycles.

3. Reimagining ROI Frameworks:

• Measure "Return on Data," assessing how effectively gen AI converts data into insights.
• Tailor KPIs to align with business objectives and industry-specific use cases.
• Implement feedback loops to adapt ROI frameworks as AI and business needs evolve.

Generative AI’s success hinges on blending tangible metrics with strategic vision. Businesses that adopt flexible, comprehensive ROI models will lead in leveraging AI’s full potential.

Author - James Thomason

6. Friday Funnies ??

Submit a meme and if it’s good, I will publish it! [email protected].

7. AI 50: Companies of the Future

I shared a cup of coffee and a great conversation with Konstantine in 2018. He is super bright and passionate about AI.

Executive Summary:

Generative AI is leading a productivity revolution, transforming industries and reshaping the AI application landscape. The 2024 AI 50 list highlights this evolution, showcasing companies driving innovation through AI-powered tools, infrastructure, and agentic systems. As AI integrates further into workflows, it promises to redefine business operations, lower costs, and create new opportunities across industries. From enterprise to consumer-level applications, this is just the beginning of a generative AI-driven future.

Key Points:

1. AI-Powered Productivity Revolution:

• Generative AI moved from niche innovation to core productivity driver for enterprises and consumers alike.
• Companies like ServiceNow, Hubspot, and Klarna are leveraging AI for measurable gains, such as 20% case avoidance and millions in cost savings.
• AI tools are evolving user experiences (UX/UI) and transforming workflows with innovative, scalable solutions.

2. Major Trends in AI 50:

• Infrastructure dominates funding (60%), with key players like Mistral, Pinecone, and LangChain advancing foundational tools and vector databases.
• Consumer-prosumer boundaries are blurring with applications like Notion, DeepL, and Pika delivering versatile solutions across productivity and creativity.
• New industrial AI categories are emerging, including robotics, self-driving, and industrial maintenance, integrating hardware and AI software.

3. Future of AI Companies and Society:

• The rise of AI agents and company-building automation will lead to smaller, agile companies with unique management structures.
• Generative AI has the potential to reduce costs in essential services like education and healthcare, increasing accessibility and societal impact.
• Success will require addressing challenges like trust, safety, and workforce adaptation, with both private and public efforts to enable responsible AI integration.

AI's transformative power is just beginning, and companies that embrace these shifts will lead the way into a generative future marked by unprecedented productivity and innovation.

Author - Konstantine Buhler

8. A link to your article could have been here! Send me your article or an article you found educational / enlightening and I be happy to publish it. [email protected].

Until next time, take it one bit at a time!

Rob

P.S.

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