AWS is reportedly preparing to launch a new AI agents marketplace, with Anthropic among its potential partners. The platform could become available as early as July 15th, following the official announcement at the AWS Summit in New York City.
AWS is reportedly planning to replicate the SaaS market model within its AI agents store. Startups will be able to list their AI agents for sale on the platform and directly reach AWS's customer base. Conversely, customers can search for agents and download them directly from the marketplace - similar to standalone SaaS purchases rather than being bundled with broader service offerings.
This marketplace presents significant revenue opportunities for startups like Anthropic through access to AWS's vast customer network. Amazon will reportedly earn a portion of startup revenue from each agent installation. This partnership continues Anthropic's relationship with AWS, which previously provided $4 billion in funding in 2024 to train its models. Additional millions may now be on the table for further investment.
Why should we care about AI agents? These intelligent software solutions are becoming industry mainstays, though capabilities vary widely across implementations. According to OutSystems' survey of 550 global software executives, nearly half (46%) reported using agent AI in operational workflows.
Optimal AI agents function like human assistants, handling scheduling tasks and other routine responsibilities that free up time for more complex work. Modern agents can execute multi-step processes and manage diverse tasks - from restaurant reservations via Alexa to frontline customer service roles. Specialized tools exist within platforms to handle common AI functions like summarization.
Competitors are already active in this space: Google Cloud and Microsoft both maintain AI agents marketplaces, while NVIDIA offers model menus for agent development. Meanwhile, Microsoft and OpenAI face renegotiation challenges due to a clause stating Microsoft would lose access to OpenAI models if AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is developed.
