Global Big Tech Joins AI Firms in Full-Scale AI Agent Showdown
Apple to unveil iOS 27 with integrated agent
OpenAI and Anthropic also expand automation platforms
Global big tech companies are now fully engaged in the competition to develop artificial intelligence assistants (AI agents) that support work automation based on their own operating systems. The AI industry as a whole is accelerating development, not only of generative AI models, but also with the aim of capturing the AI agent market.
According to the IT industry on the 18th, Apple is scheduled to unveil its next-generation operating system, 'iOS 27', at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26) on June 8. The most anticipated feature of iOS 27 is the completely revamped 'Siri' application (app). While the previous version of Siri was limited to following basic voice commands, the redesigned Siri will analyze user data, engage in conversations, and act as an AI agent that performs work on behalf of users within apps installed on the iPhone. Additionally, it is highly likely to support overall user work by recognizing images and document files, and continuing previous conversations like a human assistant.
Google is also focusing on developing AI agent capabilities. On May 13, Google announced the launch of its AI agent for Android, 'Gemini Intelligence', via the Google Korea blog. Gemini Intelligence also aggregates data from Android devices to understand user intent and automatically perform work across various apps. For example, if a user writes a shopping list in a memo app and requests delivery, Gemini will automatically identify the necessary apps and complete the task. However, the final step requires user confirmation to complete the work, leaving the ultimate decision up to the human user. Google plans to roll out Gemini Intelligence sequentially starting this summer, first with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones.
Global AI Agent Market Expected to Grow up to KRW 68 Trillion
AI companies are also unveiling new models one after another in an effort to dominate the AI agent market. On May 14, OpenAI announced via social networking service ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) that its AI coding tool 'Codex' now supports mobile features. This enables Codex to automatically perform work using a smartphone, without having to sit in front of a computer. OpenAI cleverly illustrated this by sharing videos of laptops placed on a copier, a car, a washing machine, and even a toilet, emphasizing that users can now work with Codex from anywhere. Codex supports both Apple iOS and Google Android.
Anthropic is expanding the scope of work automation even further. On May 13, Anthropic launched 'Claude for Small Business', a work automation platform for small businesses. This platform leverages AI functions by integrating with commonly used software, such as Google Workspace, to automate tasks including payroll planning, bookkeeping, and tax payment management. In addition, it has expanded the features of 'Claude for Legal', a legal work support product included in its automation platform 'Claude Cowork'. Beyond simple administrative tasks, it automatically handles case law searches and drafts documents in accordance with each company's legal team templates.
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The reason why global big tech and AI companies are rapidly introducing AI agent products is the immense potential of this market. According to the latest report by Deloitte Korea, the global AI agent market is expected to grow from USD 9 billion (approximately KRW 14 trillion) this year to as much as USD 45 billion, or KRW 68 trillion, by 2030. The report stated, "The proliferation of AI agents will shift the corporate environment from utilizing a single agent to connecting and orchestrating multiple agents, and the ability to do so will determine competitiveness," adding, "Companies need to move beyond simply adding AI to existing work processes and transition to agent-centric workflows." Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, also predicted at the Nvidia Developer Conference (GTC) in March, "In the future, employees will unlock explosive capabilities through teams of specialized AI agents, and enterprise software businesses will evolve into agentic platforms."
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