The HumanX AI conference this week featured significant discussions on the impact of agentic AI in business, particularly the deployment of chatbots that automate various tasks. Thousands of tech professionals attended the event at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, examining how such technologies reshape industries.
According to TechCrunch, Claude emerged as the most discussed chatbot, overshadowing competitors, especially ChatGPT, during the conference. A vendor expressed disappointment in OpenAI, stating they perceived a decline in ChatGPT’s performance.
Concerns about OpenAI’s strategic direction surfaced as the company recently abandoned several projects, including its AI video generator, Sora. This has fueled perceptions of a lack of focus despite a recent $122 billion funding round and an upcoming IPO.
A New Yorker article questioned the trustworthiness of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and alluded to ongoing controversies, including the company’s involvement with the Trump administration and its decision to incorporate advertising into ChatGPT.
Bret Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Sierra and chairman of OpenAI’s board, defended Altman during the conference, saying, “I think Sam is one of the most visible leaders… If you want to seek out detractors for him, you’ll find them.” Taylor reinforced his belief in Altman’s leadership qualities.
The perception of OpenAI has shifted toward being more reactive in recent months, amidst a backdrop of intensified competition with Anthropic. Financial analysis indicates that OpenAI and Anthropic are closely matched in both prominence and revenue, with Anthropic gaining traction among business users.
The Wall Street Journal classified OpenAI and Anthropic as the fastest-growing companies in tech history, hinting that OpenAI’s maintained leadership status is under challenge.
To address competition, OpenAI introduced a new $100 subscription tier for ChatGPT, offering enhanced access to its Codex coding tool, aiming to attract users from Claude Code.
During a panel discussion, OpenAI CTO Srinivas Narayanan emphasized the rapid changes within the technology landscape, stating that AI’s impact on software engineering has evolved quickly. “We knew AI was going to impact software engineering… but even in just the last few months, the entire field has changed,” he noted.
The conference highlighted the tech community’s current focus on agentic capabilities, as many companies increasingly rely on automated systems. This trend reflects limited success of other AI applications, underscoring the dynamic nature of technological advancements and the unpredictable future landscape.
