Managing AI agents is a demanding job. Since agents operate on weekends, holidays, and overnight, the human manager must constantly review outputs and correct mistakes. This creates a relentless workload and is not a suitable role for those who are not prepared for constant oversight.

The problem with AI agents isn't getting them to work; it's managing their success. Once deployed, they operate 24/7, generating a high volume of responses and meetings. Your biggest challenge will shift from outreach capacity to your human team's ability to keep up with the AI's constant activity and output.

AI is not a 'set and forget' solution. An agent's effectiveness directly correlates with the amount of time humans invest in training, iteration, and providing fresh context. Performance will ebb and flow with human oversight, with the best results coming from consistent, hands-on management.

As AI evolves from single-task tools to autonomous agents, the human role transforms. Instead of simply using AI, professionals will need to manage and oversee multiple AI agents, ensuring their actions are safe, ethical, and aligned with business goals, acting as a critical control layer.

As AI agents take over routine tasks like purchasing and scheduling, the primary human role will evolve. Instead of placing orders, people will be responsible for configuring, monitoring, and training these AI systems, effectively becoming managers of automated workflows.

The work of managing AI agents isn't less, it's different. It trades the emotional exhaustion of managing people for a more intense, sustained cognitive load, as you're constantly problem-solving and optimizing systems rather than dealing with interpersonal issues.

Brands will struggle to capitalize on agentic AI if they treat it as a side project for existing teams. Mastering complex AI systems is a full-time job, necessitating the creation of specialized roles like "AI e-commerce manager" to focus exclusively on optimizing these new technologies.

The perception that AI agents require a lot of time stems from a misunderstanding of sales management. A good human sales leader spends a huge amount of time coaching their team. AI makes this necessary process visible and measurable, forcing founders to engage in it.

As businesses deploy multiple AI agents across various platforms, a new operations role will become necessary. This "Agent Manager" will be responsible for ensuring the AI workforce functions correctly—preventing hallucinations, validating data sources, and maintaining agent performance and integration.