Snowflake launches Cortex Agents — AI that can handle multi-step business tasks without human instruction

Snowflake unveiled Cortex Agents, a system that lets AI independently complete workflows (like data analysis, report generation, or customer support) by breaking tasks into steps, checking its own work, and correcting errors — moving beyond chatbots that only answer questions.

Unlike general-purpose AI assistants, Cortex Agents run directly on Snowflake's data warehouse, meaning they can access a company's internal databases and files without copying data elsewhere, reducing delays and security risks for enterprises handling sensitive information.

For business teams, this means routine multi-day projects (data audits, report compilation, lead qualification) could run overnight with minimal human oversight; for IT departments, it eliminates the need to integrate external AI tools with internal systems.