Ask ten entrepreneurs what an AI agent does and you’ll get ten different answers. The term gets thrown around for everything from simple chatbots to complex autonomous systems. Meanwhile, busy founders keep grinding away at tasks that could be automated.
“The confusion in the marketplace over what ‘agents’ are is even worse than the previous confusion over what ‘AI’ is,” explains Ethan Mollick, Associate Professor at The Wharton School and author of Co-Intelligence. “At least with ‘AI’ there were some definitions we generally agreed on. Now everyone is just calling every piece of software agentic and there is no common understanding to fall back on.”
Understanding AI agents is crucial to your future. Get to grips with what AI agents are and how you can use them to save time, make more impact, and focus on high-value work that actually matters.
Understanding AI agents: beyond the confusion
AI agents are tools that can work semi-autonomously on your behalf, going beyond basic chatbots that only respond to direct queries. They can take initiative, remember context, and handle multi-step tasks with minimal supervision.
More like an advanced version of Alexa that doesn’t just answer questions but proactively manages tasks like scheduling meetings, summarizing reports, and handling customer enquiries.
But agents aren’t running your business, yet. “AI shouldn’t be on the front lines. It’s great at first drafts. It works as an assistant alongside human support reps. But handing it directly to customers? Not yet. Use AI to assist, not replace, your team (for now),” says Michael Greenberg, automation and digital operations expert.
The goal isn’t replacement. The goal is augmentation. For now, an AI agent can handle the busy work that drains your time and energy. Start with these five tasks, then decide how much power you give them in the future.
5 simple things AI agents can do in your business today
Handle administrative tasks
You can cut the admin that sucks away your productive hours. AI agents excel at scheduling meetings, organizing your inbox, and managing follow-ups.
“In my agency, AI does the heavy lifting. Tasks that took hours now take minutes. Scheduling, tracking, planning, AI handles it all,” says Virgil Brewster, who helps coaches and experts scale with courses and cohorts. “The Telegram Google Calendar Agent is a game-changer. Type a message in Telegram. AI schedules calls automatically.”
If you’re doing too much admin yourself, start with a simple scheduling agent. The time saved adds up quickly.
Automate competitor research
Instead of spending hours manually checking what your competitors are doing, an AI agent can track this information automatically.
Harish Malhi, Founder of Goodspeed, suggests creating an agent that “scrapes competitor websites and logs updates in a Notion or Google Sheet,” while also monitoring social media, summarizing customer reviews, and tracking job postings. The result? “You get a real-time competitor dashboard without lifting a finger.”
This advice goes beyond competitor analysis. “List the tasks you hate doing or spending hours on. Break down the exact process for those tasks. Automate with AI agents using tools like n8n or FlowiseAI,” he added.
Execute research and data analysis
Let AI agents gather information while you sleep. Set up a custom agent using tools like Zapier or Make.com to monitor news sources relevant to your industry. Configure it to scan specific websites, RSS feeds, or databases, then compile findings into a daily briefing document in your project management system.
For data analysis, use agents that connect to your business intelligence tools. They can run regular reports on sales trends, customer behavior, or marketing performance, highlighting anomalies that require your attention.
If you don’t have a research assistant, you are the research assistant. Delegate that task to AI.
Manage customer interactions
You can create an AI agent to handle the first level of customer support by integrating it with your website chat or email system. Program it with your company’s frequently asked questions, pricing details, and standard procedures.
Tools like Botpress or Lindy allow you to build agents that collect customer information, qualify leads based on specific criteria, and route conversations to the appropriate team member when human intervention is needed. Set up automated follow-ups for prospects who don’t immediately convert.
Deal with complex negotiations
Some entrepreneurs are drawing clear lines about what AI agents should and shouldn’t do in their businesses.
Jason Fried, who started and runs 37signals, explains what he wants from AI agents: “There’s a domain name I want, but it’s taken. Find out who owns it, reach out via email, see if it could be had, negotiate (max budget $25k, don’t spend it all on the first volley — spend it like it’s your own money), set up the transaction with an escrow service.”
Fried distinguishes between tasks worth your time and those that aren’t: “That’s the kind of busy work I want to replace. Not designing, not writing, not coding, not strategy, not dreaming up new products, not emailing with customers, not guiding a team. That’s pleasure work. But getting a domain name that’s already taken — that’s busy work.”
The best AI implementations target these busywork hassles, freeing you to focus on the creative work you actually enjoy.
How to start using AI agents with confidence
Your time is too valuable to waste on tasks machines can handle, especially those well outside your superpowers. Start small. Pick one repetitive task you dislike and deploy an agent to handle it. Monitor the results, adjust as needed, and expand from there. Start with processes you understand well enough to automate.
Remove the work that keeps you from your highest value activities. Free yourself to focus on growing your business, connecting with customers, and creating remarkable experiences that only humans can deliver.
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