Author name: Mudit Bhatnagar

The week ending November 14, 2025, confirmed the arrival of “agentic AI” as a central, disruptive force. Tech giants commercialised autonomous systems with strategic shifts, like Microsoft’s “per-agent” model. However, Anthropic revealed the dark side: the first reported AI-orchestrated cyber espionage campaign. The challenge is now deployment, control, and securing this autonomous workforce.

The AI hype train hit the brakes as $\$1$ trillion was wiped from US tech companies. OpenAI’s controversy revealed a potential $\$1.4$ trillion infrastructure commitment, suggesting unsustainable costs. Simultaneously, mass layoffs at Amazon and Salesforce confirmed the new, harsh narrative of AI-driven job “replacement”.

The final week of October 2025 showcased a profound paradox. AI spending fueled record corporate valuations and product innovation. However, the colossal costs triggered deep anxiety on Wall Street, leading to punishing scepticism. Simultaneously, the proliferation of AI tools gave rise to “vibe hacking,” a new and more dangerous class of cyber threats.