November 26, 2024

November has been a pivotal month in the AI landscape, marked by significant milestones that are transforming how organizations operate and compete. This month's AI Spotlight delves into groundbreaking developments that are reshaping industries and pushing the boundaries of technology. From Microsoft's announcements at Ignite 2024, Cerebras Systems' record-breaking achievements to a significant leap in AGI research with AIRIS, the following stories capture the essence of these advancements, showcasing AI's expanding role in driving innovation, efficiency, and strategic growth across various sectors.

Microsoft Ignite 2024 Announcements: Revolutionizing AI, Cloud, and Productivity

Microsoft Ignite 2024 was a landmark event, showcasing nearly 80 new products and features that highlight Microsoft’s unwavering commitment to innovation in AI, cloud computing, and productivity tools. With almost 70% of Fortune 500 companies now utilizing Microsoft 365 Copilot, the impact of these advancements is profound, reshaping the future of work and productivity.

Here are some of the most significant announcements from Ignite 2024.

1. Boosting Productivity in Microsoft 365 with Copilot Actions and New Agents

Microsoft 365 Copilot took center stage with the introduction of new capabilities designed to help simplify the workday.

One of the standout announcements was the new Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365, designed to automate everyday tasks through simple, fill-in-the-blank prompts right in the Microsoft 365 app. Now in private preview, Copilot Actions handles repetitive tasks such as summarizing meetings and drafting presentations, allowing users to focus on higher-value tasks.

In addition, Microsoft introduced new agents in Microsoft 365 designed to help scale individual impact and transform business processes:

  • Agents in SharePoint, now GA, with every SharePoint site includes an AI assistant scoped for the site’s content, enabling users to quickly pull project details from a workback schedule, summarize a recent product memo, or find a document in seconds. Customized agents can also be created to focus on specific files, folders, or sites with just one click.
  • The Interpreter agent in Teams provides real-time, speech-to-speech interpretation during meetings, helping users overcome language barriers instantly. Set to enter public preview in early 2025, it will also offer the option to simulate participants' personal voices.
  • -The Employee Self-Service Agent in Business Chat quickly answers common policy questions and makes it easy to complete key tasks, starting with HR and IT, and can be customized in Copilot Studio to meet unique organizational needs. This agent is available in private preview.
  • Other agents in public preview take real-time meeting notes in Teams and automate project management from start to finish in Planner.

These enhancements represent a significant leap in collaboration and information management, simplifying workflows and enhancing productivity across organizations.

2. Advancing Copilot and AI Stack with Azure AI Foundry

Microsoft is advancing its Copilot and AI Stack with the introduction of Azure AI Foundry. If you’re familiar with Azure AI Studio, Azure AI Foundry is the new and improved iteration. Azure AI Foundry offers enhanced capabilities and access to existing Azure AI services in a more unified experience to design, customize, and manage the next generation of AI apps and agents at scale. Foundry helps businesses efficiently and cost-effectively design and scale their AI applications while serving two distinct needs:

  • For developers, it integrates seamlessly with GitHub, Visual Studio, and Copilot Studio, providing a unified toolchain and comprehensive visual interface. It also supports data professionals within the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform, offering secure, governed, and scalable data solutions.
  • For IT professionals, CIOs, and CISOs, it supports observability needs such as evaluation, customization, governance, and monitoring tools to manage AI applications effectively, including new management and AI safety capabilities.

3. Copilot+ Devices: The Future of Cloud PCs

In response to the growing demand for secure and flexible cloud solutions, Microsoft introduced Windows 365 Link, the first Cloud PC device purpose-built by Microsoft. Priced at $349 and set for general availability in select markets starting April 2025, Windows 365 Link transforms any monitor into a high-performance Windows 365 desktop, allowing users to connect to their personalized, secure Cloud PC from virtually anywhere, facilitating a hybrid work model.

Security is a top priority for Windows 365 Link, as it features a locked-down operating system with no local data or apps, and no local admin users. This design ensures that corporate information remains within the Microsoft Cloud, significantly reducing the attack surface and enhancing security.

With the rapid evolution of AI, Microsoft is not only shaping the present but also future-proofing businesses to thrive in the next wave of technological advancements. From streamlining daily workflows with Copilot to safeguarding critical systems with advanced security tools, Ignite 2024 underscores Microsoft’s commitment to innovation, productivity, and safety.

Cerebras Sets Two New World Records in AI and Molecular Dynamics

Cerebras Systems, an emerging leader in AI computing, has made headlines by setting two new world records in both AI and molecular dynamics, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with high-performance computing.

4. Cerebras Achieves Record-Breaking LLM Inference Speed

Cerebras has set a new benchmark in AI technology by running Meta’s Llama 3.1-405B model at an unprecedented 969 tokens per second, making it the fastest large language model (LLM) inference processor. This breakthrough offers users faster and more efficient processing capabilities, enhancing performance and user experience.

Llama 3.1 405B on Cerebras Inference key performance metrics:

  • Record Speed: Cerebras achieved a speed of 969 output tokens per second, showcasing its capability to process significantly larger models faster than traditional GPUs.
  • Minimal Latency: At just 240 milliseconds, Cerebras delivers the shortest time-to-first-token latency of any platform running Llama 3.1-405B and a fraction of what users experience with GPU-based solutions.
  • High Context Length Support: Llama 3.1 405B on Cerebras Inference supports a context length of 128K, enabling it to handle extensive inputs effectively.

This remarkable performance enables AI models to process information more efficiently, enhancing capabilities in areas such as natural language processing, code generation, and complex problem-solving. As agentic AI becomes available and eventually widespread, the demands in inferencing hardware will increase by another 10-fold. By allowing models to "think" longer and more effectively, Cerebras is paving the way for advancements in AI without the need for additional training.

5. World Record in Molecular Dynamics Simulations

In addition to its AI breakthroughs, Cerebras has set a new world record in molecular dynamics simulations. At the SC24 conference in Atlanta, the company announced that its flagship product, the Cerebras CS-3 system, achieved a performance of 1.1 million simulations per second. This feat is 748 times faster than the previous benchmark set by the world's top supercomputer, Frontier.

Michael James, Chief Architect of Advanced Technologies and co-founder of Cerebras Systems, highlighted the impact of this accomplishment:

These achievements underscore Cerebras Systems' commitment to pushing the boundaries of computational performance. By delivering unparalleled speed and efficiency in both AI inference and scientific simulations, Cerebras is not only advancing technology but also enabling researchers and industries to tackle complex challenges more effectively.

6. Breakthrough in AGI: Self-Learning AI Navigates Minecraft World

A significant advancement in artificial general intelligence (AGI) has been achieved with the development of AIRIS, a self-learning AI agent that learns to navigate and interact within the complex, 3D environment of Minecraft entirely from scratch. AIRIS, a collaborative project between SingularityNET and the ASI Alliance, demonstrates the potential for AI systems to autonomously acquire knowledge and skills without relying on pre-programmed instructions or extensive training data, pushing the boundaries of current AI technology.

Key Features of AIRIS:

  • Self-Learning Capabilities: AIRIS learns from its interactions in real-time, improving its performance without direct human intervention.
  • Complex Task Handling: The AI can undertake intricate tasks within Minecraft, showcasing an understanding of the game's mechanics and objectives.
  • Advancements in AGI Research: Serving as a prototype AGI, AIRIS contributes valuable insights into creating AI systems capable of generalizing learning across different domains.

This achievement underscores the feasibility of creating AI systems that can generalize learning across different contexts—a fundamental goal in the pursuit of AGI. The methodologies applied in AIRIS could have significant implications for real-world applications where AI needs to operate in unpredictable and dynamic environments, such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, and complex system management.

Neudesic Enhances Business Outcomes with AI-Powered Solutions

Neudesic, a global professional services firm, delivers two new AI-powered solutions to improve productivity and boost business outcomes in various industries—the Control Tower and AI Agent Assist.

7.  Providing Real-Time Visibility and Improved Service Levels through Neudesic’s Control Tower

Showcased at Retail ConX 2024, Neudesic highlighted its innovative Control Tower within the retail sector, demonstrating its profound impact on streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. The cloud-based solution provides real-time visibility into business operations, enabling retailers to navigate challenges such as supply chain unpredictability, heightened customer expectations, and evolving labor demands.

This innovative platform integrates seamlessly with existing systems, acting as an overarching tool that delivers end-to-end visibility and actionable insights to improve service levels while reducing costs. The Control Tower solution empowers businesses to streamline their operations and enhance performance by providing an integrated platform that facilitates improved decision-making capabilities.

Key features include:

  • A single pane of glass to enhance inventory management, intelligent returns management, and customer engagement
  • Embedded autonomous AI for automated replenishments and real-time adjustments to consistently maintain optimal stock levels
  • Advisory AI for intelligent returns management for enhanced customer engagement

While the solution was prominently featured in the retail industry, its versatile design makes it applicable across various sectors. This announcement underscores Neudesic's commitment to delivering innovative solutions that address the complex challenges businesses face today. By leveraging Neudesic’s Control Tower, organizations across industries can achieve greater operational agility, drive efficiency, and maintain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving marketplace.

8. Elevating the Call Center Agent Experience with AI Agent Assist

Neudesic ‘s AI Agent Assist uses large language models (LLMs) to provide call center agents with quick access to information and real-time support, which fundamentally changes how they interact with customers.  This improves issue resolution, reduces handling times, and boosts customer and agent satisfaction.

Key benefits include:

  • Boosting Productivity: By combining Generative AI for natural language and Agentic AI for decision-making, the solution automates tasks like updating records and offers personalized suggestions. This enhances service quality by 40% and cuts handling times for tasks like payment extensions by 25%.
  • Streamlining Onboarding: AI-powered onboarding tools reduce training time by 25% and costs by 15%, helping agents quickly develop complex skills, increasing retention, and stabilizing the workforce.
  • Automating Processes: The AI Agent Assist automates multi-step tasks like payment arrangements, handling steps efficiently while agents focus on customer relationships and concerns.
  • Transforming Call Centers: As AI adoption grows, Neudesic’s solution simplifies agent roles, reduces costs, and enhances customer satisfaction with smarter, data-driven tools.

Looking Ahead

November 2024 has been a landmark month in the realm of artificial intelligence, marked by significant advancements that are shaping the future across industries. These developments collectively highlight AI's integral role in driving innovation, efficiency, and strategic growth. As AI continues to evolve, organizations that embrace these advancements and adapt proactively will position themselves at the forefront of their industries.

Staying informed about these trends is essential for organizations looking to navigate the future of AI effectively. By leveraging these innovations, businesses can unlock new levels of efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.

For more information on Neudesic’s Control Tower, please visit https://www.neudesic.com/industries/retail/

To find out more about Neudesic’s Utility AI Agent Assist solution, contact Colin Dvorak at colin.dvorak@neudesic.com or Onye Ifemedebe at onye.ifemedebe@neudesic.com.