The Power of AI Agents: How They're Changing Business Forever
What Are AI Agents and Why Should You Care?
AI agents are sophisticated programs that can perform tasks, make decisions, and learn from interactions. Unlike basic AI tools that simply respond to prompts, agents can work independently to achieve specific goals.
As Chris Daigle, host of the "Using AI at Work" podcast explains, "Chat GPT is not going to take your job. Someone that knows Chat GPT and knows your job is a better candidate. But what you should be paying attention to is agents, which are capable of performing as an entire team."
This is crucial to understand, AI agents aren't just about replacing tasks; they're about amplifying what your team can accomplish.
Claire Bouvier, described as one of the top AI experts in Canada, adds: "My work is dedicated to illuminating human impact in the age of AI. It's about having that co-partnership and really being mindful about how we engage with AI to be good."
From Experimentation to Implementation: The AI Shift in 2025
A major shift is happening in how businesses approach AI:
"2025 is a year that we have been waiting for. Anybody who's an AI professional has been waiting for the demand for the introduction of generative AI into business operations. 2024 might have been the year of proof of concept and discovery, but 2025 really is the year of application."
This marks an important transition. We're moving from asking "Could we use AI?" to "How should we implement AI?"
Claire notes this change in her work with clients: "2024 was the rush of 'I'm going to try every tool.' I'm noticing now 2025 is about careful selection and really identifying what tool will solve my greatest problem and going deeper into the tool."
How to Start Working With AI Agents: Simpler Than You Think
If you've been hesitant to explore AI agents because they seem complicated, here's good news: you can start small.
One practical approach is simply having ongoing conversations with AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. These extended conversations create context that essentially turns the AI into a personalized agent that understands your business, your challenges, and your communication style.
Chris shared how he uses this approach: "Our headquarters is on a ranch outside of Austin, Texas, and I routinely go back and forth to New Mexico. It's a 12-hour drive. I will spend half of that trip talking to ChatGPT. I have built courses and developed multi-year strategies just from having conversations."
This continuous thread of conversation becomes incredibly valuable. As Claire puts it: "We are building our own agents in real time. This conversation in your car driving to Mexico then becomes an agent. It identified where your workflow was, what it needed, and in real time it becomes customized just for your business."
The Voice AI Revolution: Thinking Out Loud With AI
One of the most exciting developments in working with AI agents is the shift to voice interfaces. Speaking with AI rather than typing can unleash more natural, flowing conversations that lead to better results.
Claire shared her experience using Sesame, a voice-based AI tool: "I was going for a walk before this call having a prep session, walking through hard questions to practice. This is where my work is dedicated to, in the age of AI, having that co-partnership."
She explained that voice AI helps her think through complex ideas: "When I was back in college, the only way I could write an essay and go deep was to go for walks and talk it through. That was the best way how my mind could come to a really good thesis."
This approach combines the benefits of movement (which helps creativity) with the ability to have a responsive conversation partner, even when you're alone.
The Surprising Application: AI for Better Team Communication
Perhaps the most unexpected insight from the conversation was how AI can improve human relationships within a team. Claire introduced the concept of "artificial EQ" (emotional intelligence)—using AI to help understand and communicate better with team members who have different personality types.
She explained: "I do this with my team. I make everyone do their enneagram test, and then we build out roles that channel what gets them super excited and their super skills."
By feeding this personality information into AI tools, you can get guidance on how to communicate effectively with different team members:
"When I talk to an eight [on the enneagram], any task, any project, I work from their sense of incentivization and motivation. That mechanism is artificial EQ."
This approach can transform workplace relationships. Clare shared: "I brought on someone that's an enneagram two. She is motivated by helping. For me, when I want instructions, I want bullet points, get it done and figure it out. A two needs to know the purpose of the job, how it's helping me, how it's helping the greater team."
Using AI to bridge these communication gaps has had profound effects: "She cried when she saw it because she said 'I felt valued.' Leverage AI to be the better communicator that you just don't have the human wisdom and experience to know."
What's Coming Next: The Future of AI Agents
As we look ahead, the development of AI agents is accelerating rapidly. Claire believes we're moving toward increasingly personalized agents that are built specifically for our own businesses and workflows.
"Instead of us jumping on all these platforms and subscriptions and customizing to other people's creations, we are now creating our custom workflows and agents that can be built in real time to be implemented into our businesses."
This shift from off-the-shelf tools to custom agents will likely define the next phase of AI adoption.
Preparing for an AI-First Future
With all these advances, how should businesses prepare? Here are some key takeaways:
Start having deeper conversations with AI tools, building context over time rather than just using them for one-off queries.
Experiment with voice interfaces to see if they help you think more fluidly and naturally.
Consider how AI can help improve team communication by understanding different personality types and communication preferences.
Look for specific business processes that could benefit most from an AI agent approach rather than trying to implement AI everywhere at once.
Stay curious and keep learning—the AI landscape is changing rapidly, and the businesses that adapt fastest will have significant advantages.
FAQ: AI Agents for Business
What exactly is an AI agent?
An AI agent is a software program that can perform tasks, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals. Unlike basic AI tools that just respond to direct prompts, agents can work more independently and handle complex workflows.
Do I need technical expertise to use AI agents?
No, many AI agents are becoming increasingly user-friendly. You can start by having extended conversations with tools like ChatGPT or Claude, which builds context over time that makes them function more like personalized agents.
How are businesses using AI agents today?
Businesses are using AI agents for content creation, customer service, data analysis, personalized marketing, workflow automation, and even internal team communication improvement.
Will AI agents replace employees?
Rather than simply replacing employees, AI agents are best viewed as tools that can handle routine tasks and free up human workers to focus on higher-value activities that require creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.
How do I know if my business is ready for AI agents?
If you have repetitive processes that follow clear patterns, or if you're struggling with scaling certain operations, you might be ready for AI agents. Start by identifying specific problems you want to solve rather than implementing AI for its own sake.
As we move further into 2025, AI agents will continue transforming how businesses operate. The question isn't whether to adopt these technologies, but how to implement them thoughtfully to enhance both business outcomes and human potential.
Want to learn more about leveraging AI in your business? Our AI Authority Challenge is the best place to start, join here!
