Cisco exec's AI agent saves him $1,000 a year on subscriptions

Personal AI agents are becoming popular helpers, handling daily chores like managing subscriptions and paying bills. Cisco President Jeetu Patel said he uses several AI agents, including Meta's Muse, Instinct, and OpenAI's Dots. One agent, after getting access to his email, pointed out he spends $9,000 a year on subscriptions. It then made a list and canceled two unneeded ones, saving him $1,000 to $1,200 a year — at just $20 a month. Patel stressed personal agents should not connect to work tools without company approval; work tasks need internal company agents. Meanwhile, agent startup Instinct raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation. Still, there have been cases of agents acting on their own or misreading instructions. Some AI lab staff worry things are moving too fast without enough checks, and companies like Bank of America are stepping up defenses.