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IBM Makes AI Easier with Updated Watsonx Orchestrate!
Hey everyone, John here! Today we’re talking about some exciting updates from IBM that make building and using AI “agents” much simpler, even if you’re not a tech whiz. They’ve improved their watsonx Orchestrate (WXO) platform, which helps businesses automate tasks using AI. Think of it like this: you can now build little AI helpers to take care of boring, repetitive jobs!
What’s New with watsonx Orchestrate?
IBM has added new features to watsonx Orchestrate that make it easier for developers to create these AI helpers, also known as “agents.” These agents can then automate various tasks within a company. IBM’s CEO, Arvind Krishna, believes these updates are a big step towards using AI to truly automate workflows. The goal? To help businesses build their own AI applications and benefit from the growing AI market.
The cool thing is that these AI agents can learn and adapt as they work, without needing constant supervision. This kind of AI is getting a lot of attention from companies that want to automate more of their work.
IBM says they’re making it easier to build, deploy, and manage these AI systems, all in one place.
Agent Builder: No-Code AI Creation!
One of the coolest additions is something called Agent Builder. It’s a “no-code” studio that lets you create AI agents using simple drag-and-drop tools. It is like building with LEGOs, but instead of bricks, you’re using AI components!
Lila: John, what does “no-code” mean? Does that mean I don’t have to write any complicated computer code?
That’s exactly right, Lila! “No-code” means you can build things – in this case, AI agents – without writing a single line of computer code. It’s all visual and very user-friendly.
The Agent Builder also lets you import tools from other places, including open-source frameworks (that’s like free, publicly available software), third-party tools (tools made by other companies), and custom tools. This means you can create a truly customized AI agent for your specific needs.
IBM Isn’t the Only Player
It’s important to note that IBM isn’t the only company offering no-code tools for building AI agents. Companies like Salesforce, Amazon (with AWS), Microsoft, and Google also have similar offerings. So, there’s a lot of competition in this space!
One analyst, Jim Hare from Gartner, thinks that watsonx Orchestrate might be most appealing to companies that are already using other IBM products. However, he also mentioned that it could be useful for companies that need a hybrid, on-premise, or edge deployment (basically, companies that need to run AI in different environments, not just in the cloud).
Agent Development Kit (ADK) for the Pros
For developers who want more control, IBM is also offering an Agent Development Kit (ADK). This kit allows professional developers to create specialized agents from scratch.
Lila: Okay, John, so the Agent Builder is for beginners like me, and the Agent Development Kit is for the experts?
Precisely! The Agent Builder is for those who prefer a visual, drag-and-drop approach, while the Agent Development Kit is for experienced developers who want to build AI agents from the ground up with code.
Google also has something similar called Agent Development Kit.
Pre-Built Agents and the Agent Catalog
To make things even easier, IBM is adding over 150 pre-built agents to watsonx Orchestrate through a new Agent Catalog! Some of these agents were created by IBM, while others come from partners like Box, MasterCard, Oracle, Salesforce, and ServiceNow.
These pre-built agents can be used for things like web research, performing calculations, and other common tasks. They can also be used as templates for creating new agents in the Agent Builder.
IBM plans to share revenue with partners who create agents and publish them in the Agent Catalog. This is a way to encourage more people to contribute to the platform.
Other companies like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft already have similar marketplaces for AI agents.
Orchestrating Multiple Agents
IBM has also made changes to watsonx Orchestrate to allow you to manage multiple agents at once. This is like having a supervisor that can analyze requests, send tasks to the right agents, and allow them to work together on complex projects.
Lila: So, it’s like a team of AI helpers, working together to solve problems?
Exactly! And watsonx Orchestrate helps you manage that entire team and make sure they’re all working efficiently.
Keeping an Eye on Your Agents
Finally, IBM is adding tools to help developers monitor their agents. These tools can monitor AI performance, reliability, and enforce AI guardrails (rules that ensure the AI is behaving ethically and responsibly).
Watsonx Orchestrate is available now, and the pricing is based on how much you use it. There’s also an “Essentials” version for those who are just getting started.
John’s Thoughts
I think these updates from IBM are a great step towards making AI more accessible to everyone. The no-code Agent Builder is particularly exciting because it opens up AI development to a much wider audience. It will be interesting to see how businesses use these tools to automate their workflows.
Lila’s Perspective: Wow, this all sounds really cool! I’m excited to see how these AI agents can help people with their jobs and make their lives easier. Maybe I can even build my own AI agent someday!
This article is based on the following original source, summarized from the author’s perspective:
IBM updates watsonx Orchestrate with new agent-building
capabilities
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