Based in the U.S., Oracle is part of a growing trend among major technology firms that are developing virtual assistants capable of managing repetitive or challenging tasks with increased independence. Companies like Microsoft and Alphabet's Google have also prioritized agents in their AI initiatives.
In contrast to general-purpose virtual assistants used by consumers, Oracle's agents are tailored for specific functions. Salespeople are required to update company records regarding the status of deals after each customer interaction, and these agents can efficiently handle that documentation.
However, some responsibilities are more intricate. One particular "customer intelligence" agent can aggregate data from across Oracle's suite of business software and generate reports for sales teams preparing for negotiations, even if the data is presented in various languages.
For instance, the system may alert a U.S.-based sales team that a returning customer has experienced delays in shipments from another country—insight that could be valuable when negotiating contract renewals.
"Our customers are oftentimes brands you may not have heard of that run industry. They move rock and produce machinery. They're usually global," Rob Pinkerton, a senior vice president at Oracle, said in an interview. "To have that assistance to pull (data) all together in all the languages a seller has to care about is pretty useful."
Oracle announced that these features are available starting Tuesday, and there will be no additional charges for the new agents.