These top 30 AI agents deliver a mix of functions and autonomy (www.zdnet.com)

MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) has unveiled its AI Agent Index, showcasing the top 30 AI agents and their functionalities based on a thorough analysis of 1,350 data points. The study highlights a significant focus on enterprise workflow agents—13 out of the 30—designed to automate business tasks. Leading examples include Microsoft 365 Copilot and ServiceNow AI Agents. Notably, the top use case across these agents is research and information synthesis, emphasizing their role in transforming workplace productivity and decision-making. The findings reveal varying levels of autonomy among agents, with chat-based assistants like OpenAI's ChatGPT maintaining the lowest autonomy, relying on user prompts for task execution. In contrast, browser-based agents such as Perplexity Comet operate more independently, executing tasks with minimal user intervention once initiated. This distinction underscores crucial implications for developers and businesses embracing AI technology; as agents become more autonomous, they can streamline workflows but also introduce new risks related to oversight and control. With most developers concentrated in the US and China, this index serves as an essential resource for understanding the landscape and potential impacts of AI agents on various sectors.