Editorial illustration for Tech Giants Unite to Push Forward Action-Driven AI Agent Development
AI Giants Unite to Develop Action-Based Smart Agents
OpenAI, Anthropic and Block Form Foundation to Advance Action-Based AI Agents
Ask a question, get an answer. That old model is already fading. The real money is on AI that acts.
Now, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Jack Dorsey's payments company Block have formed a new foundation. Its mission is explicit: to write the rulebook for a new breed of AI that doesn't just chat.
These are action-based agents. Imagine software that hunts for and purchases your plane ticket. Or one that argues with a supplier over contract terms.
The goal is a new digital economy. In it, these agents work for us. Crucially, they must also work with each other.
The new foundation reflects a nascent shift from chat-based AI systems to greater use of programs that take actions on behalf of users. This kind of agentic AI promises a potentially lucrative new paradigm in which AI agents use the web and negotiate with one another to power all sorts of applications. Consumers may, for example, use AI assistants to buy and book things, while businesses use AI agents to manage transactions and customer interactions.
Srinivas Narayanan, chief technology officer of B2B applications at OpenAI, envisions a time when large numbers of AI agents routinely communicate with one another in the course of business. The AI industry working across the same open standards should help ensure that those interactions happen seamlessly. "Open source is going to play a very big role in how AI is shaped and adopted in the real world," Narayanan says.
Consider this preventative medicine. Every major tech firm will build its own agents. Without a shared protocol, the result is a Tower of Babel.
An OpenAI agent couldn't negotiate with an Anthropic bot. This foundation, which includes Block, is trying to lay down common wiring before the walls are built.
That effort reveals a fundamental truth. The real value isn't in any single clever model. It's in the network they form.
The alternative? A mess of incompatible systems. That future benefits nobody but the lawyers.
They are, in essence, building a common language for a digital workforce that hasn't even been hired yet.
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Common Questions Answered
What is the primary goal of the new AI agent foundation formed by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block?
The foundation aims to develop action-driven AI agents that can execute tasks independently, moving beyond traditional chat-based AI systems. Their vision is to create intelligent systems that can navigate digital spaces, negotiate with other AI agents, and perform complex tasks like booking travel or managing transactions.
How might AI agents transform consumer and business interactions in the near future?
AI agents are expected to revolutionize interactions by autonomously handling tasks such as purchasing, booking services, and managing customer interactions without constant human oversight. This new paradigm could dramatically simplify complex digital transactions and provide more efficient, intelligent assistance across various domains.
What key technological shift does this AI agent foundation represent in artificial intelligence development?
The foundation signals a critical pivot from passive, conversational AI to proactive, action-oriented AI systems that can independently execute tasks and interact with digital environments. This shift represents a potentially lucrative new approach where AI agents can actively perform functions rather than simply providing information or engaging in dialogue.
Further Reading
- Linux Foundation announces Agentic AI Foundation joined by Anthropic, OpenAI and Block — SiliconANGLE
- Linux Foundation Announces the Formation of the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF), Anchored by New Project Contributions Including Model Context Protocol (MCP), Goose, and AGENTS.md — PR Newswire
- OpenAI co-founds the Agentic AI Foundation under the Linux Foundation — OpenAI
- Linux Foundation forms Agentic AI Foundation to be new home for MCP, goose, and AGENTS.md — SD Times
- Newly launched Agentic AI Foundation to take charge of MCP’s future — Techzine Europe
