How Google, Microsoft, and UPS Are Reshaping Business With Automation

Welcome to Automation Toolbox, the weekly AI newsletter helping business leaders leverage the power of AI automation.

In Today’s Toolbox

🔳 Google Unveils Enterprise-Ready Gemini 2.5 Pro

🔳 UPS Warehouse Automation Shift Displaces 244 Jobs in Portland

🔳 AAPAC Firms Brace for Agentic AI Disruption

🔳 Microsoft Unveils New AI Agents for Factory Automation

🔳 Agentic AI Solutions Emerge as Growth Catalysts for Financial Leaders

AI Development

Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro Emerges as an Enterprise AI Powerhouse

While OpenAI’s image-generation update dominated headlines last week, Google quietly released Gemini 2.5 Pro, signaling the next big leap in enterprise-ready AI models. Boasting superior benchmarking as compared to big-name competitors like ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude, the Gemini 2.5 Pro model also introduced perhaps the most comprehensive chain of thought we’ve seen to date.

In a Google demonstration video, Gemini successfully coded a ready-to-play video game using only a single prompt. Our own testing saw Gemini generate an impressive sales automation workflow for a regional electrical contracting company. Not only did the model produce a workable sales flow complete with a list of tools needed for implementation, but it also demonstrated the step-by-step process used to generate the response (i.e., “the thinking”).

Now, enterprise leaders can validate not only the output of the model but also how the model arrived at the output. This provides users with a greater level of trust and the ability to redirect responses based on the chain of thought presented on-screen.

Read the VentureBeat article

Try Google Gemini

Healthcare

Workforce

UPS Automation Shift Displaces 244 Union Jobs in Portland

244 workers in Portland, Oregon will lose their jobs following UPS’ Swan Island site automation overhaul. According to the company, about 25% of the site’s 916 hourly employees will be laid off on June 30th, with some being offered other positions that may require relocation.

Teamsters Local 162, representing the laid-off employees, said previously that some Swan Island employees would be moving to UPS’ Hillsboro site pending installation of the automation equipment at Swan Island. This comes following UPS’s layoff of 321 mostly part-time employees at Swan Island last year.

While full AI automation of manual tasks may yet be on the horizon, business leaders are taking note of the progress. Just as we’ve seen in the rise of online marketing and e-commerce in the past decades, automation is poised to become an ever-increasing part of the competitive landscape.

Read on MSN.com

APAC Firms Brace for Agentic AI Disruption

The Asia-Pacific region is bracing for significant business transformation as 70% of companies anticipate disruption from agentic AI technologies in the next 18 months. According to recent research, APAC business leaders are seeing a significant trend toward enhancing efficiency, customer engagement, and decision-making with the help of AI.

Deepika Giri, head of Research for Big Data and AI at IDC Asia Pacific, highlighted the importance of establishing trust and security in establishing automated systems. Additionally, she noted a robust data ecosystem will be required to support agentic AI programs.

Agentic AI systems, which can operate with significant autonomy to accomplish tasks with minimal human supervision, are already being deployed across various business functions. The technology is showing particular promise in customer service, where AI agents handle complex customer interactions independently, and in operations management, where these systems can optimize workflows and resource allocation in real-time.

For executive decision-makers, this trend signals a critical strategic inflection point. Companies that develop comprehensive agentic AI strategies now will likely gain significant competitive advantages in operational efficiency, customer experience, and innovation capacity. The window for establishing leadership positions in this transformative technology is narrowing, making proactive investment and planning essential.

Read the FutureiOT article

Markets

Supply Chain

Microsoft Unveils New AI Agents for Factory Automation

Microsoft has launched a suite of advanced AI agents designed specifically for industrial automation at the Hannover Messe 2025 industrial trade exhibition. These new AI agents represent a significant leap forward in how manufacturing facilities can implement automation across their operations. At the center of Microsoft's announcement are two flagship tools: the Factory Operations Agent and the Factory Safety Agent.

The Operations Agent focuses on production efficiency, monitoring workflows, and making real-time adjustments to maximize output while minimizing resource usage. The Safety Agent provides rapid access to health and safety guidance while assisting manufacturers with safety inspections and workforce training.

Additionally, Microsoft has partnered with humanoid robot maker SanctuaryAI to develop their industrial-grade Phoenix robots powered by Azure. According to SanctuaryAI’s website, the embodied AI systems “mimic human movement and cognitive processes as closely as possible, allowing the AI to learn from and interact with the world in the same way we do.”

For executive decision-makers, Microsoft's Factory Operations and Safety Agents offer a practical path to factory automation without complete infrastructure overhauls. The combination of productivity improvements and enhanced workplace safety presents a compelling business case for adoption, addressing both operational efficiency and compliance concerns that are top priorities for manufacturing executives.

Read the AI Business article

Finance

Agentic AI Solutions Emerge as Growth Catalysts for Financial Leaders

Recent developments in artificial intelligence are creating transformative opportunities for financial executives. According to a new report from PYMNTS, agentic AI solutions are revolutionizing how CFOs and treasurers approach financial operations.

These advanced AI systems are now poised to handle sophisticated financial workflows, including cash flow forecasting, payment optimization, and risk assessment. Unlike earlier AI tools that required significant human guidance, agentic solutions can independently analyze data, make decisions, and execute strategies within defined parameters.

AI-powered financial operations platform Tesorio recently announced its Supplier Portals Agent, which provides end-to-end AR automation that manages everything from submission to payment tracking. Systems like these remove manual submission and tracking tasks within supplier portals, streamlining AR workflows and increasing accuracy.

For enterprise leaders, agentic AI represents a critical competitive advantage in today's challenging economic environment. Beyond mere cost reduction, these technologies enable finance departments to become strategic growth drivers by improving capital allocation, identifying hidden revenue opportunities, and accelerating decision-making processes.

Read the PYMNTS article