What is an AI Agent?

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Salutations, Olio aficionados! 👋

Midweek greetings to all, as we unveil the 149th chapter of Weekly Olio—a delightful concoction of laughter, insight, and a sprinkle of mystery. Within these pages, you'll discover a handpicked selection of fascinating finds from the vast realms of the internet.

Keep your eyes peeled for this week’s Publisher’s Parmesan, arriving this Sunday!

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The Quote󠀢 💭

The Tweet 🐦

Joining the bandwagon of CEOs exhorting their teams to become AI savvy, Fiverr’s CEO sent out this scary-reading email to the entire company. The way Gen AI is progressing, sooner rather than later, it is coming for most people’s jobs.

The Infographic 💹

Many founders and aspiring entrepreneurs often feel unsure about the role of a Founder’s Office. Here is a simple guide to help you understand it.

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The Short Read 📝

The end of YC - by Benn Stancil

In his essay “The End of YC,” Benn Stancil explores how generative AI is transforming the startup landscape and challenging the foundational model of accelerators like Y Combinator. He argues that AI tools now allow individuals without technical backgrounds to build sophisticated applications, diminishing the traditional advantage of technical founders.

Historically, Y Combinator thrived on the premise that a technically skilled founder could rapidly develop a product, secure funding, and scale a company. However, with AI democratizing software development, the barrier to entry has lowered, enabling a broader range of individuals to create viable products without extensive coding expertise.

Stancil suggests that this shift could lead to a proliferation of startups, potentially saturating the market and making it harder for any single company to stand out. Moreover, the traditional accelerator model, which emphasizes technical prowess and rapid development, may need to adapt to prioritize domain expertise and unique insights over coding skills.

In essence, the rise of AI is not signaling the end of startups but is prompting a reevaluation of what constitutes a competitive edge in entrepreneurship. Accelerators like Y Combinator may need to evolve their selection criteria and support structures to remain relevant in this new era. Read more…

The Long Read 📜

What is an AI Agent? - by McKinsey and Company

AI agents are tools that help us interact with and use AI. They are supposed to be capable of handling complex tasks that would typically require human support. While AI agents have been quite a rage in the VC world, what exactly are they? And how can enterprises think about using them in their daily workflows? This is a great primer from McKinsey on AI agents and how they work.

Starting from what are AI agents and their different types, it gives examples of how companies are using AI agents to streamline or accelerate various business processes. If you are someone who is still on the edge and still trying to wrap your head around how to use AI agents, this is the perfect place to start. Read more…

That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed this edition, we’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend, family member or colleague.

We’ll be back in your inbox 2 PM IST next Wednesday. Till then, have a productive week!

Peeyush and Mohit

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.