Agentic AI: Dissecting the Future of AI Workflows | Memra's Founder Amir Behbehani
Sep 17, 2024
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Amir Behbehani, Founder of Memra and Chief AI Engineer, dives into the transformative world of Agentic AI. He explains how AI agents can act independently to boost productivity tenfold. The conversation explores the integration of AI in software development and how it changes engineers' roles. Amir highlights the importance of transparency in AI systems and discusses the exciting potential of AI in reshaping business operations. With insights on synthetic marketplaces and the future of automation, this discussion offers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of work.
Agentic AI systems empower engineers to shift from manual task execution to strategic oversight, enhancing productivity in software workflows.
The rise of AI agents necessitates a reevaluation of the workforce structure, emphasizing upskilling to effectively collaborate with these systems.
Deep dives
Understanding Agentic AI
Agentic AI refers to advanced algorithms that possess reasoning capabilities, allowing them to interact with information as context rather than merely processing data inputs. These systems utilize long-term and short-term memory to enhance their adaptability and are trained on specific tasks, integrating seamlessly into enterprise applications. The key distinction from earlier models, such as robotic process automation (RPA), lies in their ability to reason and make decisions about how to complete tasks autonomously. As AI continues to evolve, these agentic systems are expected to transform software workflows by enabling machines to handle increasingly complex functions independently.
Impact of Bot-Generated Code
Currently, bot-generated pull requests (PRs) account for approximately 13% of all PRs, significantly affecting the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Companies that implement systems to manage these bot-created PRs can experience over a 6% reduction in their overall review load and significantly improve their security and compliance processes. As the technology advances, the proportion of bot-generated contributions is anticipated to rise, leading to more streamlined development practices. This trend underscores the importance of adapting to the new landscape that AI and automation bring to software engineering teams.
Shifting Roles in Software Engineering
The integration of agentic AI is leading to a paradigm shift in the role of software engineers, moving them from a hands-on execution role to one that focuses on oversight and management of AI-driven processes. Engineers will increasingly command these agents to perform tasks, thereby enhancing productivity and allowing them to focus on higher-level strategic planning. This evolution mimics a transition toward an industrial engineering mentality, where the emphasis is on designing systems that efficiently produce software rather than directly coding. As a result, engineers must adapt their skill sets to manage AI tools effectively and strategize their utilization within development workflows.
The Future of Work with AI
The landscape of work is expected to change significantly with the rise of AI agents that perform jobs traditionally held by humans, prompting a reevaluation of the knowledge work economy. Organizations may need to redefine roles as agents increasingly take on varied tasks, leading to a blend of human and digital employees working collaboratively. As agents become more integrated, businesses must focus on ensuring a proper structure that allows both human and machine labor to coexist productively. This paradigm raises questions about the future of labor markets, emphasizing the importance of upskilling and adapting to new technologies to remain competitive in an evolving job landscape.
Engineering teams are already seeing efficiency gains by leveraging Gen AI solutions like Copilot, but the next wave of AI workflows has the potential to 10X productivity.
This week, we’re exploring the world of Agentic AI with Amir Behbehani, Chief AI Engineer and Founder of Memra. Agentic AI can be defined as AI agents or systems that have the capacity to make decisions or take actions on their own based on the objectives they are programmed to achieve. These AI systems act independently, gathering information, processing it, and then choosing or executing actions without direct human intervention.
Amir shares how Memra is leading the way in developing AI agents capable of handling complex tasks, decision-making, and improving productivity across industries. He also discusses the implications of AI in reshaping how businesses operate, and how organizations can prepare for a future where AI plays a central role in both day-to-day operations and high-level strategic decisions.
Whether you're an AI enthusiast, an engineering leader, or curious about the future of automation, this episode offers a deep dive into the possibilities and challenges of Agentic AI and what it means for the future of work.
Chapters:
01:23 Defining Agentic AI
07:02 Frameworks for thinking about Agentic AI
12:52 Unpacking AI as a black box
13:58 How Agentic AI will benefit software engineers
22:55 What would be a good starting point to leverage agents on an engineering team?
26:46 Will agents replace freelancers and the gig economy?