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OpenAI Introduces New Tools for Building AI Agents

Also: Meta Begins Testing Its First In-House AI Training Chip

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AI KATANA
March 11, 2025

Hello!

Today’s AI landscape is evolving rapidly, with major players unveiling groundbreaking innovations and strategic shifts. OpenAI has launched new tools to streamline the development of AI-powered agents, including a unified Responses API and an open-source Agents SDK. Meta is testing its first in-house AI training chip, a move aimed at reducing reliance on Nvidia and optimizing AI infrastructure. Sony is exploring AI-driven PlayStation characters, raising questions about storytelling and the future of voice acting. Meanwhile, China’s AI industry is booming, with significant investments despite semiconductor supply challenges. In the workplace, the rise of “Bring Your Own AI” is pushing leaders to establish governance frameworks, and new research highlights AI’s measurable impact on HR efficiency and employee satisfaction. Plus, Adobe is enhancing AI-powered image editing, and a shift in startup funding behavior signals changing dynamics in the venture capital space.

Sliced just for you:

  • 🚀 OpenAI Introduces New Tools for Building AI Agents

  • 🔧 Meta Begins Testing Its First In-House AI Training Chip

  • 🎮 Sony Testing AI to Drive PlayStation Characters

  • 🇨🇳 China’s AI Boom Is Reaching Astonishing Proportions

  • 💼 What Leaders Should Know About ‘Bring Your Own AI’

  • 📊 New Research Identifies Tangible Impacts of AI on HR

OpenAI has introduced a suite of new tools aimed at making it easier for developers and enterprises to build AI-powered agents that can autonomously accomplish tasks. The latest updates include the Responses API, which merges the functionality of Chat Completions and Assistants APIs to provide a unified approach for building AI-driven applications. This API supports built-in tools such as web search, file search, and computer use, allowing AI models to interact with real-world information more effectively. The introduction of the Agents SDK further simplifies the orchestration of agent workflows, providing developers with structured, open-source tools to manage complex AI interactions. Additionally, OpenAI is enhancing observability features, enabling better tracking and debugging of AI behavior. Future updates will continue to refine these capabilities, ensuring developers can seamlessly integrate and optimize AI agents for various industries.

Meta has begun testing its first in-house AI training chip, a strategic move to reduce dependence on external suppliers like Nvidia and cut infrastructure costs as it scales AI capabilities. The chip, part of Meta’s Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) series, is designed as a dedicated AI accelerator for tasks such as recommendation systems and generative AI. Manufactured by TSMC, the chip has completed its initial “tape-out” phase, a critical step in chip development. Meta plans to transition from reliance on Nvidia’s GPUs to its own custom silicon by 2026, aiming for better efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Despite past setbacks in custom chip development, the company successfully deployed an inference chip last year, and this new training chip marks another step in its AI hardware ambitions. If successful, the chip could play a crucial role in Meta’s AI infrastructure, supporting its vast ecosystem of applications, including Facebook, Instagram, and Meta AI-powered chatbots.

Sony is testing AI-driven characters for PlayStation games, potentially transforming interactive storytelling and gameplay. A leaked internal presentation video revealed a prototype featuring Aloy, the protagonist of the Horizon series, responding to players with AI-generated animations, writing, and voice. The technology, developed with Guerilla Games, utilizes OpenAI’s Whisper for speech-to-text, GPT-4 and Llama 3 for conversation, Sony’s Emotional Voice Synthesis for speech, and Mockingbird for facial animation. While this project remains in an experimental phase, it suggests Sony is exploring ways AI can enhance character interactions. However, concerns remain regarding its impact on narrative quality and the ongoing debate about AI’s role in voice acting, especially as industry unions like SAG-AFTRA continue to push for protections against AI-driven voice replacements.

China’s AI boom is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, driven by breakthroughs from startups like DeepSeek, whose cost-efficient models are reshaping the industry. The launch of Manus, a Chinese AI bot, garnered immense interest, causing its registration site to crash, signaling the soaring demand for homegrown AI solutions. The market response has been staggering, with the Hang Seng Tech Index surging over 40% since mid-January, and investments pouring into AI infrastructure. Leading Chinese firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu, are expanding their AI capabilities, with Alibaba pledging $53 billion over three years for AI-driven cloud services. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is reinforcing the sector with a $140 billion tech-focused venture capital fund. However, concerns remain over semiconductor shortages, as U.S. restrictions limit access to Nvidia’s most advanced chips, while domestic alternatives from Huawei and others still lag behind. If chip supply constraints worsen, they could slow the rapid expansion of China’s AI ecosystem, despite the current frenzy among investors and enterprises.

The rise of “Bring Your Own AI” is presenting new challenges for business leaders as employees increasingly use unapproved AI tools for work-related tasks. While these tools can boost productivity, they also introduce risks such as data leaks, security breaches, and intellectual property violations. Rather than banning AI tools outright, experts from MIT Sloan recommend a structured approach: establishing clear guidelines for acceptable AI use, providing training to help employees use AI responsibly, and approving select AI tools from trusted vendors. Organizations like Zoetis have implemented AI governance strategies, including internal AI marketplaces and training programs, to ensure employees use AI effectively while mitigating risks. As AI becomes integral to workplaces, leaders must balance innovation with security, ensuring AI adoption aligns with corporate policies and ethical standards.

New research from the Josh Bersin Company highlights the tangible impacts of AI on HR, demonstrating significant improvements in efficiency, employee experience, and productivity. The study, which analyzed AI-driven decision-support tools within SAP’s ecosystem, found that AI copilots accelerate HR-related search speeds by 95%, AI-powered career development tools boost employee satisfaction by 25%, and AI-driven candidate selection reduces hiring bias by 25%. Additionally, AI’s ability to assess employee skills from performance data led to a 25% increase in productivity. Despite concerns about automation replacing jobs, the report found no evidence of workforce reductions, instead emphasizing AI’s role in augmenting human capabilities. As HR leaders navigate AI adoption, experts recommend evaluating vendors based on industry relevance, data security, and long-term market vision to maximize ROI and effectively integrate AI into HR workflows.

🛠️ AI tools updates

Adobe has introduced a new AI-powered feature called “Customize” for its Adobe Stock service, enabling users to edit stock images directly within the platform without needing Photoshop or other external software. Powered by Adobe Firefly, the tool allows users to make quick adjustments, such as expanding images, changing aspect ratios, and applying styles, all while maintaining a history of refinements for easy iteration. Previously, AI-powered editing in Adobe Stock was limited to business users, but now it’s available to all subscribers with generative credits. This marks a significant shift in accessibility, catering to creatives who may not use Adobe’s other apps but need efficient image customization. Adobe plans to expand these AI capabilities further, reinforcing its commitment to integrating AI-driven tools into its creative ecosystem.

💵 Venture Capital updates

Y Combinator founders are raising less venture capital despite strong investor interest, signaling a “vibe shift” in the startup ecosystem. Traditionally, early-stage startups sought aggressive funding rounds, but many now prioritize lean operations, particularly in AI, where companies are achieving high revenue with small teams. Some founders believe minimizing VC reliance allows them to retain greater ownership and control, rather than raising capital for the sake of expansion. However, skeptics like Rippling CEO Parker Conrad argue that startups with less funding risk being outcompeted by well-financed rivals investing heavily in R&D and marketing. While some AI-driven companies like Anysphere and ElevenLabs have rapidly scaled with limited headcount, they still pursue substantial funding to fuel their growth. This evolving approach suggests a more strategic perspective on fundraising, where founders balance operational efficiency with capital needs.

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