Kantata debuts Agent Studio for building custom AI agents in plain language

Professional services automation software provider Kantata Inc. introduced Agent Studio, a tool enabling firms to create bespoke AI agents through plain language descriptions of desired tasks. The software targets a growing issue in the professional services automation industry, where vendors release numerous specialized agents, often creating maintenance challenges.

Kantata's solution is its Expertise Agent, a single agent designed to maintain context across the entire platform, launched in June. Agent Studio operates within Kantata's Expertise Engine, facilitating conversation-based agent creation and refinement without requiring coding or form filling. Upon deployment, agents can be initiated by users or automatically triggered by workflows with a single command.

The tool's intended users are practice leads and delivery directors. A uniform standard is established once for agent formatting, escalation rules, and output requirements, ensuring consistent application of deliverables. Kantata refers to the maintenance overhead as a "prompt tax," a cycle of drafting and reformatting the same job instructions to AI tools.

Kantata's CEO, Michael Speranza, emphasizes that AI's unique advantage lies in expertise rather than process automation, cautioning against vendors merely racing to reduce costs. Chief Technology Officer Vikas Nehru highlights the importance of agent reliability in professional services, where consistent deliverable quality is paramount.

Finnish invoice automation company Basware Oyj utilizes Kantata's software in its professional services operations, allowing its team to focus on customer interactions rather than documentation tasks. Kantata's announcement cites Forrester Research's perspective on the significance of leveraging proprietary knowledge and expertise in AI development to gain business advantage.

Kantata's Agent Studio is now accessible and in use by customers, with over 1,500 organizations leveraging the company's software since its launch in 2022 following the merger of Mavenlink and Kimble Applications.