Microsoft researchers call for open agentic economy to avoid AI platform lock-in
Proposal envisions AI assistants acting, transacting and negotiating on behalf of users in neutral digital marketplaces
Microsoft researchers have outlined a proposal for an open "agentic economy" in which artificial intelligence assistants operate independently across services and platforms, allowing users to transact, negotiate and interact without being locked into proprietary ecosystems.
In a paper published in Communications of the ACM, the researchers argue that an open, standardised system of agents could maximise opportunities for both individuals and businesses, and serve as a counterweight to the dominance of platform-specific “walled gardens”.
The authors describe a “web of agents” model, where assistant agents play a role akin to web browsers, and service agents function like websites.
David Rothschild, a researcher at Microsoft, said, “There are a very few companies that have captured all of our digital time.” Matt Vogel, a programme manager, added, “Consumers can find the best business that matches their needs and very easily switch between them.”
To realise the model, the paper calls for widespread deployment of assistant and service agents, shared communication protocols and secure discovery frameworks to enable agents to interact across ecosystems.
Related reading
- Microsoft unveils UniRG to improve accuracy in AI-generated radiology reports
- Demis Hassabis: why AGI is closer than it looks, and further away than the hype suggests
- Microsoft urges unified data security as generative AI reshapes risk landscape
The authors compare the effort to the collaborative construction of the International Space Station, which required coordination between governments and private enterprise rather than reliance on a single platform provider.
The researchers said creating an open agentic economy will require participation from technology companies, standards bodies, businesses, governments and regulators to ensure such marketplaces remain open, competitive and secure.
The Recap
- Microsoft proposes an open agentic economy for AI assistants to transact.
- Agents would communicate in a decentralised marketplace using standard protocols.
- Development requires standards, neutral market and multiple governing groups.
