AI platform company Ditonic said on Tuesday it has been designated as a 2026 “excellent specialized research service provider” in the commissioned research category by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT. The ministry selects providers each year after evaluating research and development and customer-oriented service capabilities. Six companies were selected this year, including three in commissioned research. Ditonic said the designation recognizes its ability to provide tailored technologies and services by studying industry characteristics and customer work practices.

The launch of Claudeforce by Anthropic and Salesforce has intensified debate over who will win in AI-era software. Some argue incumbents controlling systems of record will stay ahead as customers connect Salesforce data directly to AI, reducing the need for new apps. Andreessen Horowitz partner Seema Amble says generic agents are separating interfaces from underlying systems, creating openings for vertical AI startups that outperform on specific tasks, build data assets and develop learning loops.