Google's AI Agent Trends

Hi everyone,

Lots to talk about on the first Monday of 2026. There’s a great report on Google with some AI agent predictions, and Microsoft “unofficially” changes its name to Microslop (ouch!).

Let’s get right into it.

In this issue:

• 🤝 In Partnership: Register and learn content ops best practices for 2026

• 🤿 Deep Dive: Insights from Google Cloud's AI Agent Trends 2026 Report

• ⚡ Powered by: CX insights that drives growth

• 🎁 Referral Rewards: Earn perks by inviting friends

• 🤿 Deep Dive: Backlash against Microsoft's AI focus leads to 'Microslop' trend

• 📘 Learn Something: Expand AI and no-code skills to boost productivity

• 📰 Top News: News on AI, no-code, and productivity

• ⚒️Tool Snapshots: Tools for AI, no-code, and productivity

• 🖼️AI Art: Examples of great and trending AI art

🤝IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COACTIVE

Get Content Workflows Right - Best Practices from Media Execs

The explosion of visual content is almost unbelievable, and creative, marketing, and ad teams are struggling to keep up.

The question is: How can you find, use, and monetize your content to the fullest?

Find out on January 14th as industry pioneers from Forrester Research and media executives reveal how the industry can better manage and monetize their content in the era of AI.

Save your spot to learn:

• What is reshaping content operations

• Where current systems fall short

• How leading orgs are using multimodal AI to extend their platforms

• What deeper image and video understanding unlocks

Get your content right in 2026 with actionable insights from the researchers and practitioners on the cutting edge of content operations.

Join VP Principal Analyst Phyllis Davidson (Forrester Research) and media innovation leader Oke Okaro (ex-Reuters, Disney, ESPN) for a spirited discussion moderated by Coactive’s GM of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Hill.

Register today

🤿 DEEP DIVE

Google Cloud Identifies Five AI Agent Trends Set to Transform Business in 2026

Intelligence: Google Cloud’s report forecasts how AI agents will move beyond chatbots to orchestrate end-to-end workflows, boost security, and elevate customer service in 2026.

• The five core trends are based on insights from over 3,466 global executives and Google AI experts.

• Agentic workflows will replace isolated prompts with “digital assembly lines,” shifting roles from routine execution to strategic orchestration.

• Cross-platform interoperability through protocols like Agent2Agent will enable agents from different vendors to collaborate, laying the groundwork for scalable ecosystems.

• Concierge-level customer experiences will emerge as agents proactively resolve issues and personalize interactions, reducing response times from days to near real time.

• AI-driven security operations will automate alert triage and incident investigation, freeing human analysts to focus on threat hunting and defense strategy.

• AI-ready workforces will be built via continuous learning programs, marking a shift from merely adopting tools to embedding AI skills across teams.

⚡ POWERED BY GLADLY

Smarter CX insights for investors and founders

Join The Gladly Brief for insights on how AI, satisfaction, and loyalty intersect to shape modern business outcomes. Subscribe now to see how Gladly is redefining customer experience as an engine of growth—not a cost center.

Subscribe now

🎁REFERRAL REWARDS

If TIW has been useful, invite one friend or coworker who’d actually use AI/automation at work.

• 1 referral → get the TIW No-Code Workflows PDF (25 plug-and-play workflows)

• 10 referrals → get a full course free (your choice)

Your referral link: https://www.newsletter.theintelligentworker.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

Tip: send it to a friend who’s AI-curious, a coworker who wants to move faster, or anyone trying to automate repetitive tasks.

🤿 DEEP DIVE

‘Microslop’ Trend Highlights Backlash to Microsoft’s AI Push

Intelligence: Consumer frustration with Microsoft’s aggressive AI features in Windows 11 coalesced into the viral “Microslop” trend, underscoring a widening rift between the company’s AI ambitions and user expectations Windows Central report.

• Satya Nadella’s year-end “Looking Ahead to 2026” blog urged moving beyond “slop vs sophistication” debates in AI, prompting a The Verge analysis of his remarks.

• The term “Microslop” rapidly trended on platforms such as X, Reddit, and Instagram as users ridiculed Microsoft’s force-fed Copilot integrations.

• Deep embedding of Copilot across core apps like Notepad, Photos, and Edge has fueled user backlash over intrusive AI hooks.

• The phenomenon highlights a growing disconnect between Microsoft’s AI-first strategy and the priorities of everyday Windows users.

• Sustained negative sentiment may compel Microsoft to recalibrate its approach to ensure AI deployments enhance rather than hinder the user experience.

📘 LEARN SOMETHING

Resources on AI, no-code and automation to boost productivity

• Utilize Claude Code for Automation - Learn how to leverage Claude Code for personal automation without needing coding skills. By setting up project folders and utilizing its configuration capabilities, you can streamline workflows, manage notes, and enhance productivity in both personal and professional tasks.

• Create Graphic Novels with AI - Learn how to utilize Gemini and NotebookLM to craft engaging graphic novels, enhancing your storytelling skills. This workflow allows you to generate creative narratives and visuals, making it a fun and effective way to engage readers, especially children.

• Generate Video Mind Maps - Learn to use Mapify’s browser extension or web app to convert any YouTube video into a structured, timestamped mind map in seconds. Simply paste the video URL or click “Summarize as mind map” below the player, then export or interact with the visual outline to quickly review and retain key points. (mapify.so)

📰 TOP NEWS

News on AI, no-code, automation, and productivity

• Data Center Backlash Grows - Tech companies’ plans for large AI and cloud data centers are increasingly losing local approval, with 20 projects worth $98 billion blocked or delayed across 11 states in Q2 2025. This growing backlash underscores rising concerns over power, water use, zoning, and community impact. (apnews.com)

• Concerns Over Engineering Competence - A Reddit discussion highlights worries about the competence of engineers, sparked by a post showcasing a humorous take on "vibe coding." Users express skepticism about the skills of engineers who rely heavily on AI tools, suggesting a decline in traditional engineering capabilities and raising questions about industry standards.

• Cartilage Regrowth Breakthrough - An injection that blocks the aging protein 15-PGDH restored knee cartilage in aged mice and prevented post-injury arthritis, with human cartilage samples also producing new matrix. This approach could replace joint replacements for osteoarthritis, which affects 20% of US adults and costs $65 billion annually. (news.stanford.edu)

• Grok’s Nonconsensual Image Edits - xAI’s Grok can now instantly edit any image on X without permission and has been used to remove clothing from photos of women, children, and public figures, sparking a wave of deepfake-like content. The issue underscores insufficient AI safeguards and potential legal breaches involving minors.

• California Launches DROP - On Jan 1, 2026, California rolled out the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), a free state-run tool letting residents submit one deletion request to over 500 registered data brokers. Brokers must begin processing requests by Aug 1, 2026, or face fines, marking a landmark enhancement of consumer privacy.

⚒️ TOOL SNAPSHOTS

Futuristic tools within AI, no-code, and productivity

• 🎨 Joodle - Transform daily thoughts into a vibrant visual timeline.

• 💬 Flux - Personalized conversational AI agents within your favorite messaging apps.

• 🤖 Scaloom AI - Gain Reddit credibility & automate effective marketing campaigns.

• 🌍 DaysAround - Track visits and stay informed for easy travel planning.

• 📰 Nutgrafe - AI transforms web articles into concise, critical summaries.

🖼️ AI ART

Examples of great and trending AI art

ℹ️ ABOUT US

The Intelligent Worker helps you to be more productive at work with AI, automation, no-code, and other technologies.

We like real, practical, and tangible use-cases and hate hand-wavy, theoretical, and abstract concepts that don’t drive real-world outcomes.

Our mission is to empower individuals, boost their productivity, and future-proof their careers.

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