Emergence, a generative AI venture, has recently emerged from stealth mode with $97.2 million in funding and over $100 million in credit lines. Led by former IBM executives, Emergence aims to develop an “agent-based” system that can automate tasks typically handled by knowledge workers using generative AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-40. The company’s CEO, Satya Nitta, explained that Emergence specializes in advanced planning and reasoning capabilities that are necessary for complex automation tasks.
Nitta’s idea for Emergence came after co-founding Merlyn Mind, an education-oriented virtual assistant company. He realized that the technologies developed at Merlyn could be applied to automate workstation software and web apps. To accomplish this, Nitta recruited fellow ex-IBMers Ravi Koku and Sharad Sundararajan to launch Emergence.
Emergence has an ambitious roadmap that includes its project called Agent E, which is designed to automate tasks such as form filling, product searches, and navigating streaming services. The company’s first finished product is an “orchestrator” agent, which acts as an automatic model switcher for workflow automations. The orchestrator selects the most suitable model from a developer-curated list based on factors like capabilities and cost.
While Emergence’s orchestrator may seem similar to other model-routing solutions, Nitta emphasizes that it offers additional configuration features and is more reliable. The company plans to monetize the orchestrator with a premium version available through an API.
Emergence also has strategic partnerships with Samsung and touch display company Newline Interactive, aiming to integrate its technology into future products like interactive displays. However, specific details about these products and their release dates are not yet available.
Although the AI agent space is already crowded with big players like OpenAI and Google, Emergence differentiates itself by focusing on research and development. The company’s research lab is dedicated to investigating how agents can plan, reason, and self-improve. Emergence boasts an impressive talent pool, with researchers and software engineers from top tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Despite the competition and technical challenges faced by generative AI, Emergence believes it is well-positioned for success. Nitta states that the company’s focus on solving fundamental AI infrastructure problems with a clear ROI for enterprises, combined with its open-core business model and premium services, will ensure a steady revenue stream and foster a growing community of developers and early adopters. However, only time will tell if Emergence can outperform its competitors and address the challenges in the generative AI space.
