GitHub Archives - gettectonic.com

Is AI Replacing Developers

Is AI Replacing Developers? The Truth About AI-Generated Code Anthropic’s CEO predicts AI will write 90% of code within 3 to 6 years. Google already reports 25% of its code is AI-generated. With numbers like these, it’s tempting to wonder: Are developers becoming obsolete? The short answer? No. Here’s why—and what AI-generated code actually means for software development. 1. AI Isn’t Replacing Developer Work—It’s Changing It Just because AI writes code doesn’t mean developers do less. AI doesn’t eliminate developer effort—it shifts it. 2. AI Writes More Code Than Necessary (And That’s a Problem) AI doesn’t know when to stop. More AI-generated code ≠ better software. In fact, poorly managed AI code can make apps harder to maintain. 3. Developers Have Always Relied on External Code Before AI, developers used: AI is just another tool—like a smarter Stack Overflow. The Worst Mistakes Companies Can Make with AI Code ❌ Setting Arbitrary “AI Code %” Targets ❌ Assuming AI Reduces the Need for Developers ❌ Ignoring AI’s Blind Spots The Future: AI as a Developer’s Co-Pilot The bottom line? AI is changing coding—not eliminating it. Developers who embrace AI as a tool will stay ahead. Those who fear it will fall behind. Key Takeaways:✔ AI generates code, but developers still design, debug, and refine it.✔ Blindly trusting AI leads to bloated, buggy software.✔ The best developers use AI to augment—not replace—their skills.✔ Companies should encourage AI adoption—not mandate arbitrary AI code quotas. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
AI Agents and Consumer Trust

AI and the Future of Software Development

Beyond Coding: Why Agency Matters More in the AI Era For years, “learn to code” was the go-to advice for breaking into tech. But Jayesh Govindarajan, EVP and Head of AI Engineering at Salesforce, believes there’s now a more valuable skill: agency. “I may be in the minority here, but I think something that’s far more essential than learning how to code is having agency,” Govindarajan shared in a recent Business Insider interview. The Shift from Coding to Problem-Solving Govindarajan’s perspective reflects how AI is reshaping software development. He explains that while AI-powered systems can solve complex problems, they still need humans to define the problems worth solving. “We’re building a system that can pretty much solve anything for you—but it just doesn’t know what to solve.” This is where agency becomes critical. Instead of focusing solely on coding, the real skill lies in identifying problems, leveraging AI tools, and iterating solutions. No-Code AI: A New Way to Build Solutions To illustrate this, Govindarajan offered a real-world example involving College Possible, a nonprofit helping students prepare for college. “No code. You’d give it instructions in English. That’s very possible,” Govindarajan explained. The Two Skills That Matter Most Through this process, the individual demonstrates two key abilities: In this model, experienced coders still play a role—fine-tuning the final product once a solution proves viable. But the initial value comes from problem-solving and iteration, not traditional coding expertise. AI and the Future of Software Development The rise of AI-powered coding tools like GitHub Copilot and Amazon CodeWhisperer has automated many programming tasks, reshaping the industry. With AI handling much of the technical heavy lifting, the demand for critical thinking, adaptability, and problem identification is increasing. Soft Skills: The New Differentiator? Industry leaders are recognizing that technical skills alone aren’t enough. Mark Zuckerberg emphasized this in a July Bloomberg interview: “The most important skill is learning how to think critically and learning values when you’re young.” He argued that those who can go deep, master a skill, and apply that knowledge to new areas will thrive—regardless of their coding expertise. The Takeaway: Get Stuff Done Govindarajan’s message is clear: The future belongs to those who take initiative, leverage AI effectively, and focus on solving real-world problems—not just those who can code. Or, as he might put it: use the tools at your disposal to get stuff done. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
AI Agents

AI Agents in Action: Real-World Applications

The true potential of AI agents lies in their practical use across industries. Let’s explore how different sectors are leveraging AI agents to solve real challenges. Software Development The shift from simple code completion to autonomous software development highlights AI’s expanding role in engineering. While GitHub Copilot introduced real-time coding assistance in 2021, today’s AI agents—like Devin—can manage end-to-end development, from setting up environments to deployment. Multi-agent frameworks, such as MetaGPT, showcase how specialized AI agents collaborate effectively: While AI agents lack human limitations, this shift raises fundamental questions about development practices shaped over decades. AI excels at tasks like prototyping and automated testing, but the true opportunity lies in rethinking software development itself—not just making existing processes faster. This transformation is already affecting hiring trends. Salesforce, for example, announced it will not hire new software engineers in 2025, citing a 30% productivity increase from AI-driven development. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg predicts that by 2025, AI will reach the level of mid-level software engineers, capable of generating production-ready code. However, real-world tests highlight limitations. While Devin performs well on isolated tasks like API integrations, it struggles with complex development projects. In one evaluation, Devin successfully completed only 3 out of 20 full-stack tasks. In contrast, developer-driven workflows using tools like Cursor have proven more reliable, suggesting that AI agents are best used as collaborators rather than full replacements. Customer Service The evolution from basic chatbots to sophisticated AI service agents marks one of the most successful AI deployments to date. Research by Sierra shows that modern AI agents can handle complex tasks—such as flight rebookings and multi-step refunds—previously requiring multiple human agents, all while maintaining natural conversation flow. Key capabilities include: However, challenges remain, particularly in handling policy exceptions and emotionally sensitive situations. Many companies address this by limiting AI agents to approved knowledge sources and implementing clear escalation protocols. The most effective approach in production environments has been a hybrid model, where AI agents handle routine tasks and escalate complex cases to human staff. Sales & Marketing AI agents are now playing a critical role in structured sales and marketing workflows, such as lead qualification, meeting scheduling, and campaign analytics. These agents integrate seamlessly with CRM platforms and communication tools while adhering to business rules. For example, Salesforce’s Agentforce processes customer interactions, maintains conversation history, and escalates complex inquiries when necessary. 1. Sales Development 2. Marketing Operations Core capabilities: However, implementing AI in sales and marketing presents challenges: A hybrid approach—where AI manages routine tasks and data-driven decisions while humans focus on relationship-building and strategy—has proven most effective. Legal Services AI agents are also transforming the legal industry by processing complex documents and maintaining compliance across jurisdictions. Systems like Harvey can break down multi-month projects, such as S-1 filings, into structured workflows while ensuring regulatory compliance. Key capabilities: However, AI-assisted legal work faces significant challenges. Validation and liability remain critical concerns—AI-generated outputs require human review, and the legal responsibility for AI-assisted decisions is still unresolved. While AI excels at document processing and legal research, strategic decisions remain firmly in human hands. Final Thoughts Across industries, AI agents are proving their value in automation, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. However, fully autonomous systems are not yet replacing human expertise—instead, the most successful implementations involve AI-human collaboration, where agents handle repetitive tasks while humans oversee complex decision-making. As AI technology continues to evolve, businesses must strike the right balance between automation, control, and human oversight to maximize its potential. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
Shift From AI Agents to AI Agent Tool Use

AI Agent Dilemma

The AI Agent Dilemma: Hype, Confusion, and Competing Definitions Silicon Valley is all in on AI agents. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicts they will “join the workforce” this year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella envisions them replacing certain knowledge work. Meanwhile, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has set an ambitious goal: making Salesforce the “number one provider of digital labor in the world” through its suite of AI-driven agentic services. But despite the enthusiasm, there’s little consensus on what an AI agent actually is. In recent years, tech leaders have hailed AI agents as transformative—just as AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT redefined information retrieval, agents, they claim, will revolutionize work. That may be true. But the problem lies in defining what an “agent” really is. Much like AI buzzwords such as “multimodal,” “AGI,” or even “AI” itself, the term “agent” is becoming so broad that it risks losing all meaning. This ambiguity puts companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, and Google in a tricky spot. Each is investing heavily in AI agents, but their definitions—and implementations—differ wildly. An Amazon agent is not the same as a Google agent, leading to confusion and, increasingly, customer frustration. Even industry insiders are growing weary of the term. Ryan Salva, senior director of product at Google and former GitHub Copilot leader, openly criticizes the overuse of “agents.” “I think our industry has stretched the term ‘agent’ to the point where it’s almost nonsensical,” Salva told TechCrunch. “[It is] one of my pet peeves.” A Definition in Flux The struggle to define AI agents isn’t new. Former TechCrunch reporter Ron Miller raised the question last year: What exactly is an AI agent? The challenge is that every company building them has a different answer. That confusion only deepened this past week. OpenAI published a blog post defining agents as “automated systems that can independently accomplish tasks on behalf of users.” Yet in its developer documentation, it described agents as “LLMs equipped with instructions and tools.” Adding to the inconsistency, OpenAI’s API product marketing lead, Leher Pathak, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that she sees “assistants” and “agents” as interchangeable—further muddying the waters. Microsoft attempts to make a distinction, describing agents as “the new apps” for an AI-powered world, while reserving “assistant” for more general task helpers like email drafting tools. Anthropic takes a broader approach, stating that agents can be “fully autonomous systems that operate independently over extended periods” or simply “prescriptive implementations that follow predefined workflows.” Salesforce, meanwhile, has perhaps the widest-ranging definition, describing agents as AI-driven systems that can “understand and respond to customer inquiries without human intervention.” It categorizes them into six types, from “simple reflex agents” to “utility-based agents.” Why the Confusion? The nebulous nature of AI agents is part of the problem. These systems are still evolving, and major players like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity have only just begun rolling out their first versions—each with vastly different capabilities. But history also plays a role. Rich Villars, GVP of worldwide research at IDC, points out that tech companies have “a long history” of using flexible definitions for emerging technologies. “They care more about what they are trying to accomplish on a technical level,” Villars told TechCrunch, “especially in fast-evolving markets.” Marketing is another culprit. Andrew Ng, founder of DeepLearning.ai, argues that the term “agent” once had a clear technical meaning—until marketers and a few major companies co-opted it. The Double-Edged Sword of Ambiguity The lack of a standardized definition presents both opportunities and challenges. Jim Rowan, head of AI at Deloitte, notes that while the ambiguity allows companies to tailor agents to specific needs, it also leads to “misaligned expectations” and difficulty in measuring value and ROI. “Without a standardized definition, at least within an organization, it becomes challenging to benchmark performance and ensure consistent outcomes,” Rowan explains. “This can result in varied interpretations of what AI agents should deliver, potentially complicating project goals and results.” While a clearer framework for AI agents would help businesses maximize their investments, history suggests that the industry is unlikely to agree on a single definition—just as it never fully defined “AI” itself. For now, AI agents remain both a promising innovation and a marketing-driven enigma. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
Generative AI in Marketing

Generative AI in Marketing

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) continues to reshape industries, providing product managers (PMs) across domains with opportunities to embrace AI-focused innovation and enhance their technical expertise. Over the past few years, GenAI has gained immense popularity. AI-enabled products have proliferated across industries like a rapidly expanding field of dandelions, fueled by abundant venture capital investment. From a product management perspective, AI offers numerous ways to improve productivity and deepen strategic domain knowledge. However, the fundamentals of product management remain paramount. This discussion underscores why foundational PM practices continue to be indispensable, even in the evolving landscape of GenAI, and how these core skills can elevate PMs navigating this dynamic field. Why PM Fundamentals Matter, AI or Not Three core reasons highlight the enduring importance of PM fundamentals and actionable methods for excelling in the rapidly expanding GenAI space. 1. Product Development is Inherently Complex While novice PMs might assume product development is straightforward, the reality reveals a web of interconnected and dynamic elements. These may include team dependencies, sales and marketing coordination, internal tooling managed by global teams, data telemetry updates, and countless other tasks influencing outcomes. A skilled product manager identifies and orchestrates these moving pieces, ensuring product growth and delivery. This ability is often more impactful than deep technical AI expertise (though having both is advantageous). The complexity of modern product development is further amplified by the rapid pace of technological change. Incorporating AI tools such as GitHub Copilot can accelerate workflows but demands a strong product culture to ensure smooth integration. PMs must focus on fundamentals like understanding user needs, defining clear problems, and delivering value to avoid chasing fleeting AI trends instead of solving customer problems. While AI can automate certain tasks, it is limited by costs, specificity, and nuance. A PM with strong foundational knowledge can effectively manage these limitations and identify areas for automation or improvement, such as: 2. Interpersonal Skills Are Irreplaceable As AI product development grows more complex, interpersonal skills become increasingly critical. PMs work with diverse teams, including developers, designers, data scientists, marketing professionals, and executives. While AI can assist in specific tasks, strong human connections are essential for success. Key interpersonal abilities for PMs include: Stakeholder management remains a cornerstone of effective product management. PMs must build trust and tailor their communication to various audiences—a skill AI cannot replicate. 3. Understanding Vertical Use Cases is Essential Vertical use cases focus on niche, specific tasks within a broader context. In the GenAI ecosystem, this specificity is exemplified by AI agents designed for narrow applications. For instance, Microsoft Copilot includes a summarization agent that excels at analyzing Word documents. The vertical AI market has experienced explosive growth, valued at .1 billion in 2024 and projected to reach .1 billion by 2030. PMs are crucial in identifying and validating these vertical use cases. For example, the team at Planview developed the AI Assistant “Planview Copilot” by hypothesizing specific use cases and iteratively validating them through customer feedback and data analysis. This approach required continuous application of fundamental PM practices, including discovery, prioritization, and feedback internalization. PMs must be adept at discovering vertical use cases and crafting strategies to deliver meaningful solutions. Key steps include: Conclusion Foundational product management practices remain critical, even as AI transforms industries. These core skills ensure that PMs can navigate the challenges of GenAI, enabling organizations to accelerate customer value in work efficiency, time savings, and quality of life. By maintaining strong fundamentals, PMs can lead their teams to thrive in an AI-driven future. AI Agents on Madison Avenue: The New Frontier in Advertising AI agents, hailed as the next big advancement in artificial intelligence, are making their presence felt in the world of advertising. Startups like Adaly and Anthrologic are introducing personalized AI tools designed to boost productivity for advertisers, offering automation for tasks that are often time-consuming and tedious. Retail brands such as Anthropologie are already adopting this technology to streamline their operations. How AI Agents WorkIn simple terms, AI agents operate like advanced AI chatbots. They can handle tasks such as generating reports, optimizing media budgets, or analyzing data. According to Tyler Pietz, CEO and founder of Anthrologic, “They can basically do anything that a human can do on a computer.” Big players like Salesforce, Microsoft, Anthropic, Google, and Perplexity are also championing AI agents. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, recently suggested that businesses will soon compete for the attention of AI agents rather than human customers. “Brands need to get comfortable doing this,” he remarked to The Economic Times. AI Agents Tailored for Advertisers Both Adaly and Anthrologic have developed AI software specifically trained for advertising tasks. Built on large language models like ChatGPT, these platforms respond to voice and text prompts. Advertisers can train these AI systems on internal data to automate tasks like identifying data discrepancies or analyzing economic impacts on regional ad budgets. Pietz noted that an AI agent can be set up in about a month and take on grunt work like scouring spreadsheets for specific figures. “Marketers still log into 15 different platforms daily,” said Kyle Csik, co-founder of Adaly. “When brands in-house talent, they often hire people to manage systems rather than think strategically. AI agents can take on repetitive tasks, leaving room for higher-level work.” Both Pietz and Csik bring agency experience to their ventures, having crossed paths at MediaMonks. Industry Response: Collaboration, Not Replacement The targets for these tools differ: Adaly focuses on independent agencies and brands, while Anthrologic is honing in on larger brands. Meanwhile, major holding companies like Omnicom and Dentsu are building their own AI agents. Omnicom, on the verge of merging with IPG, has developed internal AI solutions, while Dentsu has partnered with Microsoft to create tools like Dentsu DALL-E and Dentsu-GPT. Havas is also developing its own AI agent, according to Chief Activation Officer Mike Bregman. Bregman believes AI tools won’t immediately threaten agency jobs. “Agencies have a lot of specialization that machines can’t replace today,” he said. “They can streamline processes, but

Read More
No-Code Generative AI

Generative-Driven Development

Nowhere has the rise of generative AI tools been more transformative than in software development. It began with GitHub Copilot’s enhanced autocomplete, which then evolved into interactive, real-time coding assistants like Aider and Cursor that allow engineers to dictate changes and see them applied live in their editor. Today, platforms like Devin.ai aim even higher, aspiring to create autonomous software systems capable of interpreting feature requests or bug reports and delivering ready-to-review code. At its core, the ambition of these AI tools mirrors the essence of software itself: to automate human work. Whether you were writing a script to automate CSV parsing in 2005 or leveraging AI today, the goal remains the same—offloading repetitive tasks to machines. What makes generative AI tools distinct, however, is their focus on automating the work of automation itself. Framing this as a guiding principle enables us to consider the broader challenges and opportunities generative AI brings to software development. Automate the Process of Automation The Doctor-Patient Strategy Most contemporary generative AI tools operate under what can be called the Doctor-Patient strategy. In this model, the GenAI tool acts on a codebase as a distinct, external entity—much like a doctor treats a patient. The relationship is one-directional: the tool modifies the codebase based on given instructions but remains isolated from the architecture and decision-making processes within it. Why This Strategy Dominates: However, the limitations of this strategy are becoming increasingly apparent. Over time, the unidirectional relationship leads to bot rot—the gradual degradation of code quality due to poorly contextualized, repetitive, or inconsistent changes made by generative AI. Understanding Bot Rot Bot rot occurs when AI tools repeatedly make changes without accounting for the macro-level architecture of a codebase. These tools rely on localized context, often drawing from semantically similar code snippets, but lack the insight needed to preserve or enhance the overarching structure. Symptoms of Bot Rot: Example:Consider a Python application that parses TPS report IDs. Without architectural insight, a code bot may generate redundant parsing methods across multiple modules rather than abstracting the logic into a centralized model. Over time, this duplication compounds, creating a chaotic and inefficient codebase. A New Approach: Generative-Driven Development (GDD) To address the flaws of the Doctor-Patient strategy, we propose Generative-Driven Development (GDD), a paradigm where the codebase itself is designed to enable generative AI to enhance automation iteratively and sustainably. Pillars of GDD: How GDD Improves the Development Lifecycle Under GDD, the traditional Test-Driven Development (TDD) cycle (red, green, refactor) evolves to integrate AI processes: This complete cycle eliminates the gaps present in current generative workflows, reducing bot rot and enabling sustainable automation. Over time, GDD-based codebases become easier to maintain and automate, reducing error rates and cycle times. A Day in the Life of a GDD Engineer Imagine a GDD-enabled workflow for a developer tasked with updating TPS report parsing: By embedding AI into the development process, GDD empowers engineers to focus on high-level decision-making while ensuring the automation process remains sustainable and aligned with architectural goals. Conclusion Generative-Driven Development represents a significant shift in how we approach software development. By prioritizing architecture, embedding automation into the software itself, and writing GenAI-optimized code, GDD offers a sustainable path to achieving the ultimate goal: automating the process of automation. As AI continues to reshape the industry, adopting GDD will be critical to harnessing its full potential while avoiding the pitfalls of bot rot. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
Agentforce Custom AI Agents

Understanding AI Agents

Understanding AI Agents: How They Differ from Copilots and Assistants The AI landscape is evolving rapidly, with terms like AI agents, copilots, and assistants often used interchangeably. But what truly distinguishes them? This analysis clarifies their differences, maps them against real-world AI tools, and identifies gaps in today’s market. Why This Distinction Matters Understanding AI agent capabilities is crucial for: By 2025, AI agents are expected to become enterprise-ready, with the market projected to grow 45% annually, reaching $47 billion by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets). Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even suggests that agentic applications could replace traditional SaaS. But what makes an AI tool an agent rather than just a copilot or assistant? Defining AI Agents, Copilots, and Assistants 1. AI Agents: Autonomous Goal-Seekers Gartner’s definition (2024): “AI agents are autonomous or semi-autonomous software entities that use AI techniques to perceive, make decisions, take actions, and achieve goals in their digital or physical environments.” Key capabilities:✔ Autonomy – Acts independently.✔ Goal-driven behavior – Works toward broader objectives.✔ Environmental interaction – Uses tools (actions), sensors (perception), and data retrieval.✔ Learning & memory – Adapts over time.✔ Proactivity – Acts on triggers, not just user commands. Example: Agentforce (Salesforce’s AI agent) autonomously creates marketing campaigns by analyzing CRM data. 2. AI Copilots: Collaborative Partners Microsoft’s perspective: “Copilots enhance decision-making by offering context-specific recommendations and work collaboratively with humans.” Key differences from agents: Example: Cursor (AI coding assistant) helps developers by auto-completing and refining code in real time. 3. AI Assistants: Task-Based Helpers Example: ChatGPT (basic version) answers questions but doesn’t autonomously execute tasks. The Agent-Copilot-Assistant Spectrum Feature AI Assistant AI Copilot AI Agent Autonomy ❌ No ⚠️ Semi ✅ Yes Goal-driven ❌ No ⚠️ Partial ✅ Yes Tools & Actions ❌ No ⚠️ Limited ✅ Yes Sensors/Triggers ❌ No ❌ No ✅ Yes Memory & Learning ❌ No ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Proactivity ❌ No ⚠️ Some ✅ Yes Current Market Gaps: Where AI Tools Fall Short Despite advancements, most AI tools today don’t fully meet agent or copilot criteria: 1. Most “Agents” Lack True Autonomy 2. Copilots Often Lack Memory 3. Assistants Dominate the Market Many popular AI tools (Grammarly, Canva AI, Remove.bg) are task-specific assistants, not true copilots or agents. The Future of AI Agents & Copilots Key Takeaways ✔ AI agents act autonomously, copilots collaborate, and assistants follow commands.✔ Today’s “agents” are semi-autonomous—true autonomy is still evolving.✔ Most AI tools are still assistants, with only a few (like GitHub Copilot) qualifying as copilots.✔ Memory, proactivity, and sensors are the biggest gaps in current AI offerings. For businesses and developers, this presents an opportunity: those who build true copilots and safe agents will lead the next wave of AI adoption. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
Scope of Generative AI

Exploring Generative AI

Like most employees at most companies, I wear a few different hats around Tectonic. Whether I’m building a data model, creating and scheduing an email campaign, standing up a platform generative AI is always at my fingertips. At my very core, I’m a marketer. Have been for so long I do it without eveven thinking. Or at least, everyuthing I do has a hat tip to its future marketing needs. Today I want to share some of the AI content generators I’ve been using, am looking to use, or just heard about. But before we rip into the insight, here’s a primer. Types of AI Content Generators ChatGPT, a powerful AI chatbot, drew significant attention upon its November 2022 release. While the GPT-3 language model behind it had existed for some time, ChatGPT made this technology accessible to nontechnical users, showcasing how AI can generate content. Over two years later, numerous AI content generators have emerged to cater to diverse use cases. This rapid development raises questions about the technology’s impact on work. Schools are grappling with fears of plagiarism, while others are embracing AI. Legal debates about copyright and digital media authenticity continue. President Joe Biden’s October 2023 executive order addressed AI’s risks and opportunities in areas like education, workforce, and consumer privacy, underscoring generative AI’s transformative potential. What is AI-Generated Content? AI-generated content, also known as generative AI, refers to algorithms that automatically create new content across digital media. These algorithms are trained on extensive datasets and require minimal user input to produce novel outputs. For instance, ChatGPT sets a standard for AI-generated content. Based on GPT-4o, it processes text, images, and audio, offering natural language and multimodal capabilities. Many other generative AI tools operate similarly, leveraging large language models (LLMs) and multimodal frameworks to create diverse outputs. What are the Different Types of AI-Generated Content? AI-generated content spans multiple media types: Despite their varied outputs, most generative AI systems are built on advanced LLMs like GPT-4 and Google Gemini. These multimodal models process and generate content across multiple formats, with enhanced capabilities evolving over time. How Generative AI is Used Generative AI applications span industries: These tools often combine outputs from various media for complex, multifaceted projects. AI Content Generators AI content generators exist across various media. Below are good examples organized by gen ai type: Written Content Generators Image Content Generators Music Content Generators Code Content Generators Other AI Content Generators These tools showcase how AI-powered content generation is revolutionizing industries, making content creation faster and more accessible. I do hope you will comment below on your favorites, other AI tools not showcased above, or anything else AI-related that is on your mind. Written by Tectonic’s Marketing Operations Director, Shannan Hearne. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
What is Heroku

What is Heroku

What is Heroku? Heroku is a modern, container-based Platform as a Service (PaaS) that enables developers to deploy, manage, and scale applications with ease. Designed for simplicity, flexibility, and elegance, it provides the fastest path for developers to take their apps to market. Key Features of Heroku: The Evolution of Heroku Heroku has recently undergone a transformation, becoming fully cloud-native with advanced integrations like Kubernetes, OpenTelemetry, and Agentforce, an AI-powered enhancement to its platform. These upgrades retain the platform’s hallmark simplicity while delivering more performance and tools, such as Graviton processors, EKS, ECR, and AWS Global Accelerator. AI-Powered Innovation: Agentforce Agentforce, Heroku’s latest feature, brings AI-powered automation to app development. It empowers both technical and non-technical users by offering natural language workflows for building applications, making it accessible to a wider range of business users. According to Betty Junod, Heroku’s Chief Marketing Officer at Salesforce, the platform now seamlessly combines user-friendly experiences with cutting-edge AI capabilities: “We’ve replatformed while keeping the experience as simple as ever, but now with added horsepower, Graviton performance, and managed AI tools like Bedrock.” Agentforce is particularly impactful for non-developers, guiding them through building apps and automating processes with no-code or low-code tools. This innovation aligns with Heroku’s mission to make app creation easier and more interactive: “It’s not just apps serving information anymore; users are engaging with them in entirely new ways.” Deliver Apps, Your Way Heroku is designed to serve a variety of needs, from quick prototypes to mission-critical enterprise applications. Its fully managed ecosystem allows you to build and scale apps efficiently, leveraging the tools and languages you already know and love. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
AI Research Agents

AI Research Agents

AI Research Agents: Transforming Knowledge Discovery by 2025 (Plus the Top 3 Free Tools) The research world is on the verge of a groundbreaking shift, driven by the evolution of AI research agents. By 2025, these agents are expected to move beyond being mere tools to becoming transformative assets for knowledge discovery, revolutionizing industries such as marketing, science, and beyond. Human researchers are inherently limited—they cannot scan 10,000 websites in an hour or analyze data at lightning speed. AI agents, however, are purpose-built for these tasks, providing efficiency and insights far beyond human capabilities. Here, we explore the anticipated impact of AI research agents and highlight three free tools redefining this space (spoiler alert: it’s not ChatGPT or Perplexity!). AI Research Agents: The New Era of Knowledge Exploration By 2030, the AI research market is projected to skyrocket from .1 billion in 2024 to .1 billion. This explosive growth represents not just advancements in AI but a fundamental transformation in how knowledge is gathered, analyzed, and applied. Unlike traditional AI systems, which require constant input and supervision, AI research agents function more like dynamic research assistants. They adapt their approach based on outcomes, handle vast quantities of data, and generate actionable insights with remarkable precision. Key Differentiator: These agents leverage advanced Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) technology, ensuring accuracy by pulling verified data from trusted sources. Equipped with anti-hallucination algorithms, they maintain factual integrity while citing their sources—making them indispensable for high-stakes research. The Technology Behind AI Research Agents AI research agents stand out due to their ability to: For example, an AI agent can deliver a detailed research report in 30 minutes, a task that might take a human team days. Why AI Research Agents Matter Now The timing couldn’t be more critical. The volume of data generated daily is overwhelming, and human researchers often struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, Google’s focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) has heightened the demand for accurate, well-researched content. Some research teams have already reported time savings of up to 70% by integrating AI agents into their workflows. Beyond speed, these agents uncover perspectives and connections often overlooked by human researchers, adding significant value to the final output. Top 3 Free AI Research Tools 1. Stanford STORM Overview: STORM (Synthesis of Topic Outlines through Retrieval and Multi-perspective Question Asking) is an open-source system designed to generate comprehensive, Wikipedia-style articles. Learn more: Visit the STORM GitHub repository. 2. CustomGPT.ai Researcher Overview: CustomGPT.ai creates highly accurate, SEO-optimized long-form articles using deep Google research or proprietary databases. Learn more: Access the free Streamlit app for CustomGPT.ai. 3. GPT Researcher Overview: This open-source agent conducts thorough research tasks, pulling data from both web and local sources to produce customized reports. Learn more: Visit the GPT Researcher GitHub repository. The Human-AI Partnership Despite their capabilities, AI research agents are not replacements for human researchers. Instead, they act as powerful assistants, enabling researchers to focus on creative problem-solving and strategic thinking. Think of them as tireless collaborators, processing vast amounts of data while humans interpret and apply the findings to solve complex challenges. Preparing for the AI Research Revolution To harness the potential of AI research agents, researchers must adapt. Universities and organizations are already incorporating AI training into their programs to prepare the next generation of professionals. For smaller labs and institutions, these tools present a unique opportunity to level the playing field, democratizing access to high-quality research capabilities. Looking Ahead By 2025, AI research agents will likely reshape the research landscape, enabling cross-disciplinary breakthroughs and empowering researchers worldwide. From small teams to global enterprises, the benefits are immense—faster insights, deeper analysis, and unprecedented innovation. As with any transformative technology, challenges remain. But the potential to address some of humanity’s biggest problems makes this an AI revolution worth embracing. Now is the time to prepare and make the most of these groundbreaking tools. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
AI in Programming

AI in Programming

Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, developers have been split into two camps: those who ban AI in coding and those who embrace it. Many seasoned programmers not only avoid AI-generated code but also prohibit their teams from using it. Their reasoning is simple: “AI-generated code is unreliable.” Even if one doesn’t agree with this anti-AI stance, they’ve likely faced challenges, hurdles, or frustrations when using AI for programming. The key is finding the right strategies to use AI to your advantage. Many are still using outdated AI strategies from two years ago, likened to cutting down a tree with kitchen knives. Two Major Issues with AI for Developers The Wrong Way to Use AI… …can be broken down into two parts: When ChatGPT first launched, the typical way to work with AI was to visit the website and chat with GPT-3.5 in a browser. The process was straightforward: copy code from the IDE, paste it into ChatGPT with a basic prompt like “add comments,” get the revised code, check for errors, and paste it back into the IDE. Many developers, especially beginners and students, are still using this same method. However, the AI landscape has changed significantly over the last two years, and many have not adjusted their approach to fully leverage AI’s potential. Another common pitfall is how developers use AI. They ask the LLM to generate code, test it, and go back and forth to fix any issues. Often, they fall into an endless loop of AI hallucinations when trying to get the LLM to understand what’s wrong. This can be frustrating and unproductive. Four Tools to Boost Programming Productivity with AI 1. Cursor: AI-First IDE Cursor is an AI-first IDE built on VScode but enhanced with AI features. It allows developers to integrate a chatbot API and use AI as an assistant. Some of Cursor’s standout features include: Cursor integrates seamlessly with VScode, making it easy for existing users to transition. It supports various models, including GPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and its built-in free cursor-small model. The combination of Cursor and Sonnet 3.5 has been particularly praised for producing reliable coding results. This tool is a significant improvement over copy-pasting code between ChatGPT and an IDE. 2. Micro Agent: Code + Test Case Micro Agent takes a different approach to AI-generated code by focusing on test cases. Instead of generating large chunks of code, it begins by creating test cases based on the prompt, then writes code that passes those tests. This method results in more grounded and reliable output, especially for functions that are tricky but not overly complex. 3. SWE-agent: AI for GitHub Issues Developed by Princeton Language and Intelligence, SWE-agent specializes in resolving real-world GitHub repository issues and submitting pull requests. It’s a powerful tool for managing large repositories, as it reviews codebases, identifies issues, and makes necessary changes. SWE-agent is open-source and has gained considerable popularity on GitHub. 4. AI Commits: git commit -m AI Commits generates meaningful commit messages based on your git diff. This simple tool eliminates the need for vague or repetitive commit messages like “minor changes.” It’s easy to install and uses GPT-3.5 for efficient, AI-generated commit messages. The Path Forward To stay productive and achieve goals in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, developers need the right tools. The limitations of AI, such as hallucinations, can’t be eliminated, but using the appropriate tools can help mitigate them. Simple, manual interactions like generating code or comments through ChatGPT can be frustrating. By adopting the right strategies and tools, developers can avoid these pitfalls and confidently enhance their coding practices. AI is evolving fast, and keeping up with its changes is crucial. The right tools can make all the difference in your programming workflow. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
Battle of Copilots

Battle of Copilots

Salesforce is directly challenging Microsoft in the growing battle of AI copilots, which are designed to enhance customer experience (CX) across key business functions like sales and support. In this competitive landscape, Salesforce is taking on not only Microsoft but also major AI rivals such as Google Gemini, OpenAI GPT, and IBM watsonx. At the heart of this strategy is Salesforce Agentforce, a platform that leverages autonomous decision-making to meet enterprise demands for data and AI abstraction. Salesforce Dreamforce Highlights One of the most significant takeaways from last month’s Dreamforce conference in San Francisco was the unveiling of autonomous agents, bringing advanced GenAI capabilities to the app development process. CEO Marc Benioff and other Salesforce executives made it clear that Salesforce is positioning itself to compete with Microsoft’s Copilot, rebranding and advancing its own AI assistant, previously known as Einstein AI. Microsoft’s stronghold, however, lies in Copilot’s seamless integration with widely used products like Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. Furthermore, Microsoft has established itself as a developer’s favorite, especially with GitHub Copilot and the Azure portfolio, which are integral to app modernization in many enterprises. “Salesforce faces an uphill battle in capturing market share from these established players,” says Charlotte Dunlap, Research Director at GlobalData. “Salesforce’s best chance lies in highlighting the autonomous capabilities of Agentforce—enabling businesses to automate more processes, moving beyond basic chatbot functions, and delivering a personalized customer experience.” This emphasis on autonomy is vital, given that many enterprises are still grappling with the complexities of emerging GenAI technologies. Dunlap points out that DevOps teams are struggling to find third-party expertise that understands how GenAI fits within existing IT systems, particularly around security and governance concerns. Salesforce’s focus on automation, combined with the integration prowess of MuleSoft, positions it as a key player in making GenAI tools more accessible and intuitive for businesses. Elevating AI Abstraction and Automation Salesforce has increasingly focused on the idea of abstracting data and AI, exemplified by its Data Cloud and low-level UI capabilities. Now, with models like the Atlas Reasoning Engine, Salesforce is looking to push beyond traditional AI assistants. These tools are designed to automate complex, previously human-dependent tasks, spanning functions like sales, service, and marketing. Simplifying the Developer Experience The true measure of Salesforce’s success in its GenAI strategy will emerge in the coming months. The company is well aware that its ability to simplify the developer experience is critical. Enterprises are looking for more than just AI innovation—they want thought leadership that can help secure budget and executive support for AI initiatives. Many companies report ongoing struggles in gaining that internal buy-in, further underscoring the importance of strong, strategic partnerships with technology providers like Salesforce. In its pursuit to rival Microsoft Copilot, Salesforce’s future hinges on how effectively it can build on its track record of simplifying the developer experience while promoting the unique autonomous qualities of Agentforce. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

Read More
AI-Ready Text Data

AI-Ready Text Data

Large language models (LLMs) are powerful tools for processing text data from various sources. Common tasks include editing, summarizing, translating, and extracting text. However, one of the key challenges in utilizing LLMs effectively is ensuring that your data is AI-ready. This insight will explain what it means to have AI-Ready Text Data and present a few no-code solutions to help you achieve this. What Does AI-Ready Mean? We are surrounded by vast amounts of unstructured text data—web pages, PDFs, emails, organizational documents, and more. These unstructured documents hold valuable information, but they can be difficult to process using LLMs without proper preparation. Many users simply copy and paste text into a prompt, but this method is not always effective. Consider the following challenges: To be AI-ready, your data should be formatted in a way that LLMs can easily interpret, such as plain text or Markdown. This ensures efficient and accurate text processing. Plain Text vs. Markdown Plain text (.txt) is the most basic file type, containing only raw characters without any stylization. Markdown files (.md) are a type of plain text but include special characters to format the text, such as using asterisks for italics or bolding. LLMs are adept at processing Markdown because it provides both content and structure, enhancing the model’s ability to understand and organize information. Markdown’s simple syntax for headers, lists, and links allows LLMs to extract additional meaning from the document’s structure, leading to more accurate interpretations. Markdown is widely supported across various platforms (e.g., Slack, Discord, GitHub, Google Docs), making it a versatile option for preparing AI-ready text. Tools for AI-Ready Data Here are some essential tools to help you manage Markdown and integrate it into your LLM workflows: Recommended Tools for Managing AI-Ready Data Obsidian: Save and Store Plain Text Obsidian is a great tool for saving and organizing Markdown files. It’s a free text editor that supports plain-text workflows, making it an excellent choice for storing content extracted from PDFs or web pages. Jina AI Reader: Convert Web Pages to Markdown Jina AI Reader is an easy-to-use tool for converting web pages into Markdown. Simply add https://r.jina.ai/ before a webpage URL, and it will return the content in Markdown format. This method streamlines the process of extracting relevant text without the clutter of formatting. LlamaParse: Extract Plain Text from Documents Highly formatted documents like PDFs can present unique challenges when working with LLMs. LlamaParse, part of LlamaIndex’s suite, helps strip away formatting to focus on the content. By using LlamaParse, you can extract plain text or Markdown from documents and ensure only the relevant sections are processed. Our Thoughts Preparing text data for AI involves strategies to convert, store, and process content efficiently. While this may seem daunting at first, using the right tools will streamline your workflow and allow you to maximize the power of LLMs for your specific tasks. Tectonic is ready to assist. Contact us today. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more

Read More
  • 1
  • 2
gettectonic.com