Agentic AI systems have revolutionized industries by enabling complex workflows through specialized agents working in collaboration. These systems streamline operations, automate decision-making, and enhance overall efficiency across various domains, including market research, healthcare, and enterprise management. However, their optimization remains a persistent challenge, as traditional methods rely heavily on manual adjustments, limiting scalability and adaptability.A critical challenge in optimizing Agentic AI systems is their dependence on manual configurations, which introduce inefficiencies and inconsistencies. These systems must evolve continuously to align with dynamic objectives and address complexities in agent interactions. Current approaches often fail to provide mechanisms for autonomous improvement, resulting in bottlenecks that hinder performance and scalability. This highlights the need for robust frameworks capable of iterative refinement without human intervention.Existing tools for optimizing Agentic AI systems focus primarily on evaluating performance benchmarks or modular designs. While frameworks like MLA-gentBench evaluate agent performance across tasks, they do not address the broader need for continuous, end-to-end optimization. Similarly, modular approaches enhance individual components but lack the holistic adaptability required for dynamic industries. These limitations underscore the demand for systems that autonomously improve workflows through iterative feedback and refinement.Researchers aiXplain Inc. introduced a novel framework leveraging large language models (LLMs), particularly Llama 3.2-3B, to optimize Agentic AI systems autonomously. The framework integrates specialized agents for evaluation, hypothesis generation, modification, and execution. It employs iterative feedback loops to ensure continuous improvement, significantly reducing the reliance on human oversight. This system is designed for broad applicability across industries, addressing domain-specific challenges while maintaining adaptability and scalability.The framework operates through a structured process of synthesis and evaluation. A baseline Agentic AI configuration is initially deployed, with specific tasks and workflows assigned to agents. Evaluation metrics, both qualitative (clarity, relevance) and quantitative (execution time, success rates), guide the refinement process. Specialized agents, such as Hypothesis and Modification Agents, iteratively propose and implement changes to enhance performance. The system continues refining configurations until predefined goals are achieved or performance improvements plateau.The transformative potential of this framework is demonstrated through several case studies across diverse domains. Each case highlights the challenges faced by the original systems, the modifications introduced, and the resultant improvements in performance metrics:Market Research Agent: The initial system struggled with inadequate market analysis depth and poor alignment with user needs, scoring 0.6 in clarity and relevance. Refinements introduced specialized agents like Market Research Analyst and Data Analyst, enhancing data-driven decision-making and prioritizing user-centered design. Post-refinement, the system achieved scores of 0.9 in alignment and relevance, significantly improving its ability to deliver actionable insights.Medical Imaging Architect Agent: This system faced challenges in regulatory compliance, patient engagement, and explainability. Specialized agents such as Regulatory Compliance Specialist and Patient Advocate were added, along with transparency frameworks for improved explainability. The refined system achieved scores of 0.9 in regulatory compliance and 0.8 in patient-centered design, addressing critical healthcare demands effectively.Career Transition Agent: The initial system, designed to assist software engineers transitioning into AI roles, lacked clarity and alignment with industry standards. By incorporating agents like Domain Specialist and Skill Developer, the refined system provided detailed timelines and structured outputs, increasing communication clarity scores from 0.6 to 0.9. This improved the systems ability to facilitate effective career transitions.Supply Chain Outreach Agent: Initially limited in scope, the outreach agent system for supply chain management struggled to address operational complexities. Five specialized roles were introduced to enhance the focus on supply chain analysis, optimization, and sustainability. These modifications led to significant improvements in clarity, accuracy, and actionability, positioning the system as a valuable tool for e-commerce companies.LinkedIn Content Agent: The original system, designed to generate LinkedIn posts on generative AI trends, struggled with engagement and credibility. Specialized roles like Audience Engagement Specialist were introduced, emphasizing metrics and adaptability. After refinement, the system achieved marked improvements in audience interaction and relevance, enhancing its utility as a content-creation tool.Meeting Facilitation Agent: Developed for AI-powered drug discovery, this system fell short in alignment with industry trends and analytical depth. By integrating roles like AI Industry Expert and Regulatory Compliance Lead, the refined system achieved scores of 0.9 or higher in all evaluation categories, making it more relevant and actionable for pharmaceutical stakeholders.Lead Generation Agent: Focused on the AI for Personalized Learning platform, this system initially struggled with data accuracy and business alignment. Specialized agents such as Market Analyst and Business Development Specialists were introduced, resulting in improved lead qualification processes. Post-refinement, the system achieved scores of 0.91 in alignment with business objectives and 0.90 in data accuracy, highlighting the impact of targeted modifications.Across these cases, the iterative feedback loop mechanism proved pivotal in enhancing clarity, relevance, and actionability. For example, the market research and medical imaging systems saw their performance metrics rise by over 30% post-refinement. Variability in outputs was significantly reduced, ensuring consistent and reliable performance.The research provides several key takeaways:The framework scales across diverse industries effectively, maintaining adaptability without compromising domain-specific requirements.Key metrics such as execution time, clarity, and relevance improved by an average of 30% across case studies.Introducing domain-specific roles addressed unique challenges effectively, as seen in the market research and medical imaging cases.The iterative feedback loop mechanism minimized human intervention, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing refinement cycles.Variability in outputs was reduced significantly, ensuring reliable performance in dynamic environments.Enhanced outputs were aligned with user needs and industry objectives, providing actionable insights across domains.In conclusion, aiXplain Inc.s innovative framework optimizes Agentic AI systems by addressing the limitations of traditional, manual refinement processes. The framework achieves continuous, autonomous improvements across diverse domains by integrating LLM-powered agents and iterative feedback loops. Case studies demonstrate its scalability, adaptability, and consistent enhancement of performance metrics such as clarity, relevance, and actionability, with scores exceeding 0.9 in many instances. This approach reduces variability and aligns outputs with industry-specific demands.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Aswin Ak+ postsAswin AK is a consulting intern at MarkTechPost. He is pursuing his Dual Degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is passionate about data science and machine learning, bringing a strong academic background and hands-on experience in solving real-life cross-domain challenges. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

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BusinessKalshi shuts down betting on fate of alleged assassin Luigi MangioneA New York-based betting market platform reportedly allowed users to place money on the fate of the alleged assassin arrested in the cold-blooded killing of UnitedHealths Brian Thompson before the trades were abruptly shut down by regulators.Kalshi, which surged in popularity by providing the first legal election betting in the US in more than a century, offered so-called event contracts two days after the feds collared Luigi Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonalds on Dec. 9.Retail traders were allowed to place bets on whether Mangione would be extradited to New York in the brazen Dec. 4 killing, if he would plead guilty to murder, and on whether he acted alone, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.Alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione arrives in New York City flanked by police officers. Paul MartinkaBut Kalshi halted trading on Dec, 13, telling customers it had received notice from our regulator, according to messages obtained by The Post.Kalshi is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which prohibits events contracts linked to crimes, terrorism and war if the agency deems them against the public interest, Bloomberg reported.The Post reached out to Kalshi and CFTC for comment. Critics slammed Kalshi for allowing the futures trading on morbid events.People are betting on whether this person is allegedly responsible for the assassination of another human being, and here we are desensitized to this and betting on whether hell enter a guilty plea, Cantrell Dumas, director of derivatives policy at Better Markets, a Washington-based financial policy think tank, told Bloomberg.Mangione-related contracts are still being traded on other platforms, including crypto-only betting market Polymarket, which claims it hasnt allowed US users to trade on the platform since 2022.Kalshi offered trading contracts related to Luigi Mangiones trial. KalshiThe companys founder was subjected to an FBI raid last month as part of a criminal probe into whether the exchange accepted trades from US bettors on Donald Trumps historic victory over Kamala Harris, The Post previously reported.Betting markets like Kalshi are able to launch trades on hot-button issues in less than a day without prior approval from the CFTC. While the agency cannot stop contracts before they go live, it can pause trading for a review period.Theres no 10-day review period like the SEC has, Dumas added. In this instance, Kalshi can certify a contract and next day, its live.The CFTC earlier this year attempted to block election betting on Kalshi, but a US appeals court ruling opened the doors for legal election betting.UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Dec. 4 in midtown Manhattan. APRobinhood Markets and ForecastEx soon followed suit, launching their own election contracts.It has yet to be seen if a Trump administration will crack down on election betting, though experts doubt it. Former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz who previously served on Kalshis board was floated by Trump to lead the agency.

Trump urges US Supreme Court to delay TikTok banGetty ImagesUS President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to delay an upcoming TikTok ban while he works on a "political resolution".His lawyer filed a legal brief on Friday with the court that says Trump "opposes banning TikTok" and "seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office".On 10 January, the court is due to hear arguments on a US law that requires TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the social media company to an American firm or face a ban come 19 January - a day before Trump takes office.US officials and lawmakers had accused ByteDance of being linked to the Chinese government - which the firm denies.Those allegations of an app that has 170 million users in the US led Congress to pass a bill in April, which President Joe Biden signed into law, that included the divest or ban requirement.TikTok and ByteDance have filed multiple legal challenges against the law, arguing that it threatens American free speech protections, with little success. With no potential buyer materialising so far, the companies' final chance to derail the ban has been via the American high court. While the Supreme Court has previously declined to act on a request for an emergency injunction against the law, it agreed to allow TikTok, ByteDance and the US government to plead their cases on 10 January - just days before the ban is due to take effect. Trump had met with TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last week.In his court filing on Friday, Trump said the case represents "an unprecedented, novel, and difficult tension between free-speech rights on one side, and foreign policy and national security concerns on the other". While the filing said that Trump "takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute", it added that pushing back the 19 January deadline would grant Trump "the opportunity to pursue a political resolution" to the matter without having to resort to the court.The US justice department has argued that alleged Chinese links to TikTok present a national security threat - and multiple state governments have raised concerns about the popular social media app. Nearly two dozen state attorneys general led by Montana's Austin Knudsen have urged the Supreme Court to uphold the law compelling ByteDance and TikTok to divest or be banned. Earlier in December, a federal appeals court rejected an attempt to overturn the legislation, saying it was "the culmination of extensive, bipartisan action by the Congress and successive presidents." Trump has publicly said he opposes the ban, despite supporting one in his first term as president."I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, because I won youth by 34 points," he claimed at a press conference earlier in December, although a majority of young voters backed his opponent, Kamala Harris."There are those that say that TikTok has something to do with that," he added.

Update: English language support confirmed.In September, Bandai Namco surprised fans with the announcement of Freedom Wars Remastered for the Nintendo Switch. It will be arriving in January 2025 and is a remaster of Japan Studio's PlayStation Vita exclusive which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.Fans have now been given a first look at the Japanese physical box art for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 (thanks, Gematsu). If we hear anything about a local physical release, we'll let you know.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

The CEO hopes 2025 will be a "breakthrough year".In October, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino reconfirmed the Japanese video game company would release three major titles next year.Now, in 4Gamer.net's annual "end-of-year" round up with Japanese creators, he's reassured fans that the same three titles are definitely launching in 2025. Once again, this includes Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, and Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - including a simultaneous worldwide release.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Dive behind the emerald curtain in our latest fxpodcast episode as we explore the VFX and making of WICKED (Part1). We talk with renowned visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman, whose groundbreaking work brings the enchanting world of Oz to life. From reimagining iconic characters to creating dazzling, immersive landscapes, Helman reveals the creative challenges and innovative techniques that transformed this beloved musical into a cinematic spectacle.Pablo was the visual effects supervisor. The lead visual effects house was ILM along with Framestore. In this episode, he discusses his approach and the complexity of doing a musical and gives an insight into the filmmaking process of director Jon M. Chu.

Trees wrapped in LED lights reflecting in a lake. gettyThe U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded $11.5 million to install light emitting diode lighting in parks, police stations, an airport runway, baseball fields and city buildings to promote energy efficiency.The LED funding was released Nov. 14 as part of $17.7 million in 61 awards made from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to enable local and state governments as well as Tribes to increase efficiency, while lowering energy usage and emissions.Projects receiving the LED awards are in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.Announcing the awards, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm noted in a press statement that the EECBG program provides localities with the tools needed to increase access to clean energy and boost energy resilience through community-led initiatives.LED Lighting Projects Across the NationAlaska was approved for a $77,080 grant to retrofit the North Pole Ice Rink with LED lighting to achieve greater energy efficiency in Fairbanks North Star Borough.MORE FOR YOUTexas will now have two DOE grants for recreational facilities. Officials in Euless were awarded $117,300 to upgrade nearly 400 light fixtures with LEDs on five public baseball fields and a soccer field. Montgomery County received a higher award ($457,580) to replace 150 light fixtures with LED lighting at community sports fields there.Nashville Metropolitan Courthouse.Getty ImagesLED projects were also funded for police facilities, courthouses and jails:Nashvilles Metropolitan Courthouse will have $644,440 in new LED lighting.Davis County in Texas will spend $293,610 to install LED lights at the Blackwell Thurman Criminal Justice Center.Greeley, Colo. was given $158,860 for LED lighting at its police headquarters.Somerset County, Maine will use a $76,720 grant to install LED lighting to replace fluorescent lights and fixtures in a county courthouse and jail.Trumbell, Conn. won a $76,260 award to install LEDs at a police station.Cass County, N.D. officials will remove 500 halogen lighting fixtures in favor of $75,660 worth of LED lights in the Cass County Jail administration building.In Tuscaloosa, Ala., officials will spend the $158,340 DOE grant to covert nearly 500 airport runway and taxiway lights to LED lighting.New LEDs are coming to city halls in Chicopee, Mass. (awarded $116,600) and Winter Garden, Fla. (granted $76,560) for their projects. In a similar effort, a town hall will receive $73,526 in Hudson, N.H. to add LED lighting, insulation and windows to improve energy usage.Close-up of a blue-colored LED light.Gado via Getty ImagesBenefits from LED TechnologyLED lights are touted as offering 90% greater energy efficiency than ordinary incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lighting.Widespread use of LED lighting has a large potential impact on energy savings in the United States, the DOE says. By 2035, the majority of lighting installations are anticipated to use LED technology, and energy savings from LED lighting could top 569 terawatt-hours annually by 2035, equal to the annual energy output of more than 92 1,000 megawatt power plants.LEDs produce directional light after a current of electricity travels through a semiconductor assembly (microchip). A heat sink in the lighting absorbs heat produced.In contrast, incandescent bulbs need electricity to heat an internal metal filament inside the glass to produce light, which is released in every direction. Some 90% of bulb energy is released as heat.The DOE notes LEDs offer benefits over traditional incandescent lighting. One advantage is that LEDs are cooler and less likely to combust or burn. They also arent made of glass and easily broken. Since LEDs consume less energy, up to 25 LED lighting strings can be connected together for greater lighting without overloading electrical wall sockets.LED streetlight in San Ramon, Calif.Gado via Getty ImagesHealth Concerns for People and AnimalsLEDs emit high-intensity optical radiation across the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrums, noted Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a unit of the DOE, in an environmental, health and safety evaluation.The evaluation discussed potential health issues regarding greater use of ultraviolet emitting, white and very bright LEDs. Although the eyes and skin are more likely to be harmed by optical radiation, the laboratory said traditional LEDs are usually considered safe. LED glare and flickering have the potential to lead to some visual health issues.The European Commission weighed in on health concerns associated with LED lighting. It issued a fact sheet called So far, no health risks dim LED lights bright future. The assessment determined LED lights are safe for people and was based on a 2018 opinion in a report by the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks.However, the American Medical Association raised health concerns about LED lighting in a 2016 press release.High-intensity LED lighting designs emit a large amount of blue light that appears white to the naked eye and create worse nighttime glare than conventional lighting. Discomfort and disability from intense, blue-rich LED lighting can decrease visual acuity and safety, resulting in concerns and creating a road hazard. In addition to its impact on drivers, blue-rich LED streetlights operate at a wavelength that most adversely suppresses melatonin during night. It is estimated that white LED lamps have five times greater impact on circadian sleep rhythms than conventional street lamps, the press release stated.The AMA contended that high-intensity LED lighting is potentially harmful to people and animals.Excessive outdoor lighting disrupts many species that need a dark environment. For instance, poorly designed LED lighting disorients some bird, insect, turtle and fish species, and U.S. national parks have adopted optimal lighting designs and practices that minimize the effects of light pollution on the environment, the AMA noted.Consequently, the AMA issued guidance adopted by grassroots physicians to bolster the AMA's policy stand against light pollution and public awareness of the adverse health and environmental effects of pervasive nighttime lighting.More recently an October 2024 policy forum article in the AMA Journal of Ethics by Dr. Mario E. Motta discussed a linkage between LED lighting and outdoor light at night (LAN) that can suppress the human bodys melatonin production.There are now voluminous peer-reviewed articles showing a higher risk of hormonally linked cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers, with melatonin suppression. Higher risk of thyroid and pancreatic carcinoma associated with LAN has also been reported in the literature, the article stated.Motta also discussed how some outdoor LED lighting can disrupt normal functioning in nocturnal animals and nature. There now exists a burgeoning and robust literature documenting the environmental damage caused by excessive outdoor LAN. Birds, insects, and mammals are especially hard hit, the article noted.Need for Greater Awareness About Pros and ConsThere are multiple factors to consider when deciding whether to use advanced technology such as LED lighting to improve efficiency. Money savings are one part of the equation. Others include the types of LED lighting and potential impacts to others beyond energy efficiency.

Update: December 29 with details on the Galaxy S25 design thanks to an early release of accessories by dbrand.Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Unpacked 2024, London, United Kingdom EWAN SPENCEWith Samsungs community eagerly expecting the new Galaxy S25 family to launch in mid to late January, many are wondering when they can put down their name for one of the new handsets. New details on Galaxy pre-orders suggest the community wont have to wait long.Update: Sunday December 29. While Samsung will not reveal the Galaxy S25 family ahead of its Galaxy Unpacked event, some details have slipped through to the community through several accessory manufacturers. The latest to offer details on the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra is dbrand.The Canadian-based company makes cases and skins for a wide range of consumer electronics. Its best known for a wide range of vinyl skins that cover a device. From game consoles, through laptops and tablets, to mobile devices, dbrand has an option. Right now, its offering several options for Samsung's yet-to-be-announced Galaxy S25 family.All three of the regular S25 smartphones have skins available, from solid blocks of color to its popular x-ray stickers showing the internals of a smartphone. While we dont yet have the x-ray of the S25 phones (dbrand notes that it will ship your order when the correct internals are available), the vinyls confirm much of what has been suspected about the Galaxy S25.MORE FOR YOUThis includes the redesigned corners of the S25 family, with a sharper and more distinctive look that should offer more internal volume in the same footprint. The camera island and location of ports and buttons look to be carried over from the S24 handsets.The Samsung Experience Store on Oxford Street in London (Photo by Olly Curtis/Future via Getty ... [+] Images)Future via Getty ImagesWhen Will The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Pre-orders Open?Samsung is widely expected to host a Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22nd. South Koreans FN News is reporting that pre-orders will open on January 24th and run through until February 3rd, opening up the store to complete the purchases from February 4th before the official retail launch on February 7th.If this is, in fact, the schedule, there are two points worth highlighting. The first is that everything is running a week later than the Galaxy S24 launch in January 2024. The second is that rather than pre-orders opening at the end of the Galaxy Unpacked presentation, there is a two-day wait before people can put their names down for the new flagships.Will The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Have Any Special Offers?In previous years, Samsung has offered several peripherals, is counts and higher specifications for those who pre-order their smartphones. The S24 deals included a free bump up to the next level of storage, alongside discounts on the Galaxy Buds FE and Galaxy Watch 6. Similar offers for the S25 family would not come as a surprise.Previously, Samsung has reserved specific colorways of the new handsets as Samsung Store exclusives, so if you have designs on a specific shade of pastel or titanium, youll need to shop carefully if this strategy continues.What About The Samsung Galaxy S25 Special Edition?There is the question of which handsets will be offered. While it feels a racing certainty that we will see the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Utlra, a fourth Galaxy S25 handset is in the wings. Echoing the release of an extra slim Special Edition of the Galaxy Z Fold a few months after the Z Fold6, a thinner Galaxy S25the presumptively named Galaxy S25 Special Editioncould show up later in the year.Now read the latest Samsung, Android, and mobile gaming news in Forbes weekly smartphone news digest...