October 14, 2025

analysis  
OpenAI ChatGPT Instant Checkout, Salesforce AI Suite

Artificial intelligence continues to reshape various industries, from finance and healthcare to retail and public administration. In the financial sector, a former JPMorgan banker, Varun Agarwal, moved to OffDeal, an AI-native investment bank, citing greater dealmaking experience and efficiency through AI-driven valuations and task automation. Meanwhile, AI is significantly boosting the holiday shopping season, with AI tools expected to drive $60 billion in sales during Black Friday and Cyber Week, enhanced by features like OpenAI's Instant Checkout for ChatGPT users. Infosys has launched an AI suite for Salesforce to automate sales, service, and marketing operations, aiming to improve customer engagement. In healthcare, AI is being integrated into medical practice, with a symposium discussing its role in biomedical research and clinical settings, and Wisconsin joining a trial using AI to improve breast cancer detection from mammograms. Public administrators are exploring AI for service enhancement but are wary of costs, privacy, and potential inaccuracies. AI is also aiding disaster risk reduction in the Asia-Pacific region, with tools like SatGPT using satellite imagery to map flood risks and guide investments. In mental health, Kentucky lawmakers are examining the impact of AI chatbots, balancing their accessibility against concerns over data collection and human oversight. Logitech's CEO is open to an AI board member, highlighting AI's role in meeting productivity and summarization, though acknowledging governance questions as AI capabilities evolve.

Key Takeaways

  • Varun Agarwal left JPMorgan to join OffDeal, an AI-native investment bank, seeking more dealmaking experience and leveraging AI for faster valuations and task automation.
  • AI is projected to drive $60 billion in sales during Black Friday and Cyber Week, with innovations like OpenAI's Instant Checkout and AI personalization enhancing the shopping experience.
  • Infosys has launched an AI suite for Salesforce, designed to automate sales, service, and marketing operations and improve customer engagement.
  • AI tools, such as SatGPT, are being used in the Asia-Pacific region to improve disaster risk reduction by mapping flood hazards and guiding investment decisions.
  • Kentucky lawmakers are studying the effects of AI chatbots on mental health, considering their accessibility as a solution but also potential risks related to data and oversight.
  • Wisconsin is participating in a clinical trial using AI to enhance breast cancer detection from mammograms, working alongside radiologists.
  • Logitech's CEO is open to an AI board member, emphasizing AI's current use in meetings for summarization and productivity gains.
  • Public administrators are evaluating AI for service improvements but are cautious about implementation costs, data privacy, and the risk of AI fabricating information.
  • A symposium focused on 'Translating AI into Practice' explored the implementation of AI in healthcare, from research to clinical settings.
  • Lusha's CEO is focused on using AI for 'Sales Streaming,' providing high-intent leads and automating administrative tasks to help salespeople.

Banker leaves JPMorgan for AI startup OffDeal, finds more experience

Varun Agarwal, a 25-year-old former investment banker at JPMorgan, left his job to join OffDeal, an AI-native investment bank. He believes he gains more dealmaking experience at OffDeal than he did at JPMorgan. Agarwal noted that OffDeal uses AI and software to speed up processes like company valuations, which can now be done in one to two days instead of weeks. He also highlighted that AI automates tasks like transcribing calls and revising pitchbooks, freeing up bankers to handle more deals. Agarwal sees joining an AI company as a calculated risk that is becoming less risky due to AI's growing impact.

JPMorgan banker joins AI firm OffDeal, gains valuable experience

Varun Agarwal, a 25-year-old investment banker, left JPMorgan to become a founding employee at OffDeal, an AI-native investment bank. He feels he gets more dealmaking experience at OffDeal, where AI and software significantly speed up tasks like company valuations. Agarwal stated that AI automates many time-consuming tasks, allowing him to work on more deals. He views his move to OffDeal as a calculated risk that has paid off, offering valuable experience in the growing field of AI.

Indian-origin banker quits JPMorgan for AI bank, finds more deal experience

Varun Agarwal, an Indian-origin banker, left his job at JPMorgan to join OffDeal, an AI investment bank. He stated that he now gets more dealmaking experience with less tedious work. Agarwal found his previous roles at traditional firms valuable for skill development but sought more. He was drawn to OffDeal's mission and its use of AI to address pain points he experienced at JPMorgan, especially its focus on small businesses. Agarwal explained that OffDeal's team approach and AI tools drastically reduce the time needed for tasks like company valuations, allowing bankers to handle more deals.

AI tools help guide disaster risk reduction investments

Artificial intelligence and satellite imagery analysis are improving disaster risk reduction efforts. Tools like SatGPT, developed by ESCAP, use AI to map hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities more effectively. SatGPT analyzes historical satellite data to identify flood hotspots, guiding investments to areas most in need and reducing losses. This technology supports the Sendai Framework by enhancing disaster risk knowledge and providing data for better forecasting and preparedness. Countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines are integrating these AI tools to improve flood mapping and early warning systems.

AI tools guide disaster risk reduction investments in Asia Pacific

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing disaster risk reduction by enabling better investment decisions. Tools like SatGPT, developed by the UN ESCAP, use AI and satellite data to map flood risks and identify vulnerable areas. This helps direct resources towards proactive resilience measures rather than just recovery spending. SatGPT analyzes past flood events to inform where disaster risk reduction investments are most needed, aiming to reduce human and economic losses. Several countries in the Asia-Pacific region are adopting these AI-powered tools to enhance flood mapping, early warning systems, and overall disaster preparedness.

Kentucky lawmakers examine AI chatbots' impact on mental health

A task force of Kentucky lawmakers is studying the effects of artificial intelligence, specifically AI chatbots, on mental and behavioral health. Supporters see these chatbots as an affordable and accessible solution, especially where mental health professionals are scarce. They can be offered in multiple languages and are easily available on smartphones. However, critics raise concerns about data collection and the lack of human oversight. They argue that AI chatbots cannot recognize nonverbal cues or escalate crises like licensed professionals can, and cannot be held accountable for harm. The discussion comes as more children are using these chatbots for advice and support.

Infosys launches AI suite for Salesforce to boost customer experience

Infosys has introduced the Infosys Customer Experience Suite for Salesforce, a new set of enterprise solutions designed to improve customer engagement through AI. This suite aims to help organizations automate and optimize their sales, service, and marketing operations using AI-driven automation. It combines Infosys Topaz, an AI service portfolio, with Salesforce's agentic AI capabilities. The goal is to automate service requests and sales workflows, provide personalized customer interactions, and improve data processing for better decision-making. Infosys stated that the suite has already been used to reduce inefficiencies and improve response times in various implementations.

AI is boosting Black Friday sales, expected to drive $60 billion

Artificial intelligence is significantly impacting the holiday shopping season, contributing to billions in sales. Last year, AI played a role in $60 billion of sales during Cyber Week, and its influence is expected to grow in 2025. Innovations like agentic commerce, where AI agents shop on behalf of users, and AI personalization are shaping Black Friday and Cyber Monday. OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature allows ChatGPT users to buy products directly within the chatbot. Retailers are also using AI chatbots to guide customers, improve service, and provide personalized recommendations, leading to increased sales and efficiency.

Symposium focuses on putting AI into medical practice

A recent symposium titled 'Translating AI into Practice' explored how artificial intelligence can be effectively implemented in healthcare. Experts discussed AI's role in transforming biomedical research and clinical settings. Speakers shared insights on using AI to move from data overload to actionable insights and the challenges of scaling AI innovations. The event, hosted by the ADVANCE Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, highlighted foundational AI research, responsible implementation of AI capabilities, and collaboration to solve health care problems. The focus was on enabling data-driven precision healthcare and addressing practical issues in health and medicine.

AI in the workplace: benefits and concerns for public administrators

Public administrators are exploring artificial intelligence to improve services, but must carefully consider its integration. AI offers benefits like 24/7 availability, faster data analysis, and reduced human error, leading to more informed decision-making. However, potential concerns include high start-up costs, privacy risks if confidential data is exposed, and the possibility of AI fabricating information. There's also the risk of over-reliance on AI, potentially diminishing human cognitive skills, as cautioned by Isaac Asimov. Public administrators need to research and reflect before adopting AI to ensure it enhances service delivery effectively and responsibly.

Lusha CEO discusses AI sales intelligence and the future of selling

Lusha CEO Yoni Tserruya aims to eliminate 'prospecting hell' with Lusha's AI platform, which provides high-intent leads and automates administrative tasks for salespeople. He describes the approach as 'Sales Streaming,' delivering a curated feed of potential buyers rather than requiring endless searching. Lusha's AI analyzes data to predict the next best action for sales teams, with tools like an AI Notetaker that captures meeting insights and updates CRMs automatically. Tserruya emphasizes that compliance and accuracy are key differentiators for Lusha, as trust is crucial in B2B data. He predicts that adaptable sellers who leverage AI will thrive, focusing more on human connection and closing deals.

Wisconsin joins trial using AI to improve breast cancer detection

Wisconsin is participating in a large-scale clinical trial to test if artificial intelligence can improve breast cancer detection from mammograms. Led by UCLA and UC Davis, the trial will analyze hundreds of thousands of mammograms at UW Health and UW-Madison's medical school, along with centers in four other states. The AI tool, Transpara by ScreenPoint Medical, will be used alongside radiologists to see if it can identify subtler signs of cancer. Researchers aim to confirm the AI's effectiveness and understand its impact on radiologists' interpretations. The trial will also evaluate if the AI over-identifies potential issues, leading to false positives.

Logitech CEO open to AI board member, highlights AI's meeting productivity

Hanneke Faber, CEO of Logitech, expressed openness to having an AI-powered board member, stating that AI agents are already used in most of their meetings to summarize information and generate ideas. She believes that not using AI agents in meetings means missing out on significant productivity gains. Faber noted that while current AI agents primarily assist with summarization, their capabilities are rapidly evolving, raising governance questions about AI taking action. Other panelists at the Fortune conference also discussed AI's importance, emphasizing the need for high-quality data to train AI effectively and acknowledging that many companies feel behind in AI adoption.

Sources

Artificial Intelligence AI Startups Investment Banking AI in Finance Dealmaking AI Automation Disaster Risk Reduction AI in Healthcare AI Chatbots Mental Health Customer Experience Salesforce AI in Retail Black Friday Cyber Monday AI in Medicine Biomedical Research AI in Public Administration AI Ethics Sales Intelligence AI in Sales Breast Cancer Detection Mammography AI in Meetings Productivity