"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis

The Evolution of AI Agents: Lessons from 2024, with MultiOn CEO Div Garg

Dec 3, 2024

Div Garg, Founder and CEO of MultiOn, shares insights on the rapidly evolving world of AI agents. He discusses the shift from open-ended frameworks to structured workflows and MultiOn's journey towards human-level performance. Garg explores the significance of data collection, model fine-tuning, and the challenges of integrating AI into daily tasks. He predicts 2025 as a landmark year for AI agents and delves into strategies for optimizing AI agent interactions, highlighting the balance between speed, cost, and user needs in development.

01:30:21

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Div Garg

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Quick takeaways

AI agent development is transitioning from open-ended models to structured workflows, enhancing reliability and task execution under human oversight.

Data collection strategies emphasize high-quality annotated datasets and synthetic data to improve AI model performance and user adaptability.

Secure authentication methods are critical as AI agents proliferate, addressing concerns around safety and ensuring reliable interactions with services and APIs.

Deep dives

The Changing Landscape of AI Agents

The current market for AI agents is increasingly competitive, with many companies closing the gap on OpenAI's earlier dominance. The evolution from GPT-4 to the present has shown that while the initial hype around AI agents suggested rapid advancements, the reality has revealed limitations and challenges in practical applications. The development phase over the past 18 months has highlighted the importance of refining agent frameworks to improve reliability and task execution. Despite significant progress, there remains a sense that the industry is on the cusp of a major breakthrough in capabilities.

Intro

4min

The Evolution of AI Agents

14min

Navigating AI's Cost and Data Challenges

4min

Self-Play: Advances and Challenges in AI

11min

Navigating Challenges in Large Language Model Development

2min

Direct Preference Optimization in AI

10min

Bridging AI and Human Performance

6min

Optimizing AI Agent Interactions

25min

Navigating AI Development Trade-offs

11min

In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, Nathan welcomes back Div Garg, Co-Founder and CEO of MultiOn, for his third appearance to discuss the evolving landscape of AI agents. We explore how agent development has shifted from open-ended frameworks to intelligent workflows, MultiOn's unique approach to agent development, and their journey toward achieving human-level performance. Dive into fascinating insights about data collection strategies, model fine-tuning techniques, and the future of agent authentication. Join us for an in-depth conversation about why 2025 might be the breakthrough year for AI agents.

Check out MultiOn: https://www.multion.ai/

Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse

SPONSORS:

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers13. OCI powers industry leaders with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before December 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive

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Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

CHAPTERS:

(00:00:00) Teaser

(00:00:40) About the Episode

(00:04:10) The Rise of AI Agents

(00:06:33) Open-Ended vs On-Rails

(00:10:00) Agent Architecture

(00:12:01) AI Learning & Feedback

(00:14:01) Data Collection (Part 1)

(00:18:27) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) | SelectQuote

(00:20:51) Data Collection (Part 2)

(00:22:25) Self-Play & Rewards

(00:25:04) Model Strategy & Agent Q

(00:33:28) Sponsors: Weights & Biases RAG++

(00:34:39) Understanding Agent Q

(00:43:16) Search & Learning

(00:45:39) Benchmarks vs Reality

(00:50:18) Positive Transfer & Scale

(00:51:47) Fine-Tuning Strategies

(00:55:16) Vision Strategy

(01:00:16) Authentication & Security

(01:03:48) Future of AI Agents

(01:16:14) Cost, Latency, Reliability

(01:19:30) Avoiding the Bitter Lesson

(01:25:58) Agent-Assisted Future

(01:27:11) Outro

SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai

Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast

Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk

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