monday.com has launched Harmony, a voice AI platform designed for mid-market and enterprise sales teams across the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore. The system uses specialized models to handle tasks like lead qualification and objection handling with roughly 200 milliseconds of latency from audio input to output. Harmony agents manage calls end-to-end, from prospecting to warm transfers, and include features such as predictive dialing, branded caller ID, consent controls, and CRM write-back.
Early adopters are seeing real results. Bright Car Finance reports that Harmony qualifies about half of conversations and helped increase deals closed by 9%. The platform is now available to businesses looking to scale their outbound sales efforts without expanding headcount proportionally.
Separately, a report from Origina and Thinkers50 reveals that large enterprises spend an average of 28 percent of their software budgets on unwanted vendor-driven upgrades and licensing changes. These costs are not trivial — the most recent unwanted change cost companies an average of $12.87 million. As a result, 34 percent of companies have slowed, paused, or canceled AI or data programmes. The survey covered 2,018 senior IT decision-makers in the US and UK, and about 91 percent of respondents favored new laws to protect enterprise software customers.
In other AI news, Anthropic published a report showing how the UAE and the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran use AI for influence operations. The UAE created an AI agent called Deadshot on Claude to write U.N. testimony and manage approximately 300 inauthentic social media accounts. The report underscores that AI is increasingly becoming a battleground in information wars.
On the research front, EMD Electronics, the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, highlights that materials science is now critical for AI hardware as chips move toward smaller nodes and higher transistor densities. Sergei Ivanov, Metallics Business Technology Director, explains that new conductors, barriers, and dielectrics are key to advancing semiconductor scaling. He holds over 35 U.S. patents focused on thin film deposition precursors.
Meanwhile, practical AI applications are emerging in unexpected places. Researchers in Nepal built an AI system that listens for alarm calls from chital deer to detect tiger presence near human communities in Bardiya National Park. The solar-powered devices, costing about $60 each, analyze prey vocalizations to alert people to potential danger — building on traditional knowledge used by locals for decades.
Grinda AI is also expanding its reach. The company will showcase its Rinda overseas sales platform at a Korea International Trade Association seminar on November 2. Rinda helps exporters find overseas buyers and send personalized sales emails in 20 languages, targeting small and medium exporters that lack dedicated sales staff.
In healthcare, Radical Numerics reports it used AI-designed viruses called phages to treat a human patient with a deadly bacterial infection. The trial was authorized by the FDA, though the report has not yet been peer reviewed. The company says it will protect patient confidentiality and publish findings through peer-reviewed research.
A Washington Post exploration of AI-heavy workplaces finds that employees at companies expecting universal AI use spend 20 percent more time in meetings. While salespeople close more deals and HR staff can focus more on candidates, employees also report that nagging chatbots create extra work.
Finally, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton chairs the Trump administration's AI task force, which is focused on staffing up and is expected to complete its work in 120 days. His background at the SEC and ODNI aligns with areas threatened by advanced AI, including finance and national security.
Key Takeaways
- monday.com launched Harmony, a voice AI platform for sales teams with ~200ms latency, available in the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore.
- Bright Car Finance saw a 9% increase in deals closed using Harmony, which qualifies about half of sales conversations.
- Enterprises spend 28% of software budgets on unwanted upgrades, costing an average of $12.87 million per incident.
- 34% of companies have slowed or canceled AI programs due to high enterprise software costs, per a survey of 2,018 IT leaders.
- Anthropic's report reveals the UAE used a Claude-based AI agent called Deadshot to manage ~300 inauthentic social media accounts.
- EMD Electronics emphasizes that materials science — conductors, barriers, and dielectrics — is critical for advancing AI chip scaling.
- Radical Numerics used AI-designed phages to treat a human bacterial infection, with FDA authorization but no peer review yet.
- Nepal researchers deployed ~$60 solar-powered AI devices that detect tiger danger by analyzing chital deer alarm calls.
- Grinda AI's Rinda platform sends personalized sales emails in 20 languages, targeting SMEs without dedicated sales staff.
- Employees at AI-heavy workplaces spend 20% more time in meetings, while nagging chatbots add to their workload.
monday.com launches Harmony voice AI for sales teams
monday.com announced Harmony on October 19, a voice AI platform for mid-market and enterprise sales teams in the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore. It uses specialized models for tasks like lead qualification and objection handling, with about 200 milliseconds of audio-in to audio-out latency. The system includes predictive dialing, branded caller ID, consent controls, and CRM write-back. Bright Car Finance reports Harmony qualifies about half of conversations and improved deal closure rates.
monday.com launches Harmony AI to boost enterprise sales
monday.com launched Harmony, a voice AI platform using specialized Large Language Models to help sales teams convert leads. It is available to mid-market and enterprise customers in the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore. Harmony agents handle calls end-to-end, from prospecting to warm transfers, with about 200 ms latency. Bright Car Finance saw a 9% increase in deals closed after using Harmony to qualify applicants.
Grinda AI to showcase Rinda overseas sales platform
Grinda AI will present its Rinda AI overseas sales service at a Korea International Trade Association seminar on November 2. Rinda helps exporters find overseas buyers and send personalized sales emails in 20 languages. The service tracks replies and manages follow-ups through one interface. It targets small and medium exporters that lack dedicated sales staff.
EMD Electronics discusses AI hardware materials science
EMD Electronics, the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, interviewed Sergei Ivanov, Metallics Business Technology Director. He explained that materials science is now critical for AI hardware as chips move toward smaller nodes and higher transistor densities. Ivanov leads R&D on thin film deposition precursors and holds over 35 U.S. patents. He says new conductors, barriers, and dielectrics are key to advancing semiconductor scaling.
UAE and MEK use AI for propaganda campaigns
A report by Anthropic reveals how the UAE and the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran use AI for influence operations. The UAE created an AI agent called Deadshot on Claude to write U.N. testimony and manage about 300 inauthentic social media accounts. The MEK runs U.S.-aligned accounts with millions of followers to shape public opinion. The report highlights AI as a growing battleground in information wars.
Enterprise software costs choke AI investment, report finds
A report by Origina and Thinkers50 found that large enterprises spend an average of 28 percent of their software budgets on unwanted vendor-driven upgrades and licensing changes. These costs led 34 percent of companies to slow, pause or cancel AI or data programmes. The survey covered 2,018 senior IT decision-makers in the United States and the United Kingdom. The most recent unwanted change cost companies an average of 12.87 million dollars. About 91 percent of respondents favored new laws to protect enterprise software customers.
Start-up uses AI-designed viruses to treat patient
Radical Numerics says it used viruses designed by artificial intelligence to treat a human patient with a deadly bacterial infection. The viruses, called phages, attack bacteria. Company officials said the trial was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. The report has not yet been peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal. The company said it will protect patient confidentiality and publish findings through peer-reviewed research.
Working at an AI company means more meetings and bots
A typical employee at a company that expects everyone to use artificial intelligence all the time spends 20 percent more time in meetings. Salespeople close more deals and human resources staff can spend more time with job candidates. However, employees also say nagging chatbots create more work. The Washington Post report explores what it is like to work in such an environment.
AI hallucination teaches lesson in classroom
A student believed he won a debate after an AI tool gave him a citation to an Ivy League university. When challenged, the student pointed to the footnote, but the citation was a hallucination, meaning the AI had made it up. Teacher Chris Chapman said the incident was a sobering reminder about the limits of AI. It also showed the importance of human judgment in the classroom.
National intelligence chief leads AI task force
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton chairs the Trump administration's task force on artificial intelligence. People familiar with his work say his experience at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Office of the Director of National Intelligence fits areas threatened by advanced AI, including finance and national security. The task force is now focused on staffing up to carry out its work. The task force is supposed to complete its work in 120 days.
Nepal uses AI to detect tiger danger from deer calls
Researchers in Nepal created an AI system to help prevent dangerous encounters between people and tigers. The technology listens for alarm calls made by chital deer when they sense a predator nearby. This method builds on traditional knowledge used by local communities in Bardiya National Park for decades. The project tested solar-powered devices that cost about $60 each to detect these warning sounds automatically. By analyzing the vocalizations of prey animals, the system can alert humans to potential tiger or leopard presence without needing to track the big cats directly.
Sources
- monday.com Launches Harmony, Betting on Specialized Models for Voice AI Sales Agents
- monday.com launches Harmony AI to boost enterprise sales
- Grinda AI to Demonstrate Rinda AI Overseas Sales Platform at Trade Seminar
- EMD Electronics: Interview With Metallics Business Technology Director Sergei Ivanov About Materials Science And AI Hardware
- How the UAE and MEK weaponize AI to spread propaganda
- Enterprise software costs threaten AI investment, innovation as firms spend 28% of budgets on unwanted changes: Report
- Start-Up Claims to Treat a Patient With A.I.-Created Viruses
- Welcome to the future of work: More meetings and nagging bots
- Commentary: What an AI hallucination taught my classroom
- Exclusive: The national intelligence chief steering AI
- In Nepal, AI builds on local knowledge to help prevent tiger attacks
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