While choosing a leading vendor is important, the ultimate success of an AI agent hinges on the deep, continuous training you invest. An average tool with excellent, hands-on training will outperform a top-tier tool with zero effort put into its refinement.
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.
Instead of passively learning about AI, executives should actively deploy a simple agentic product. This hands-on experience of training and QA provides far more valuable, practical knowledge than any course or subscription, putting you ahead of 90% of peers.
According to investor sentiment, the window for startups to pivot to AI has closed. If a company doesn't have a disruptive AI offering in the market, venture capitalists have likely 'lost hope' and written them off, believing they lack the necessary speed to compete.
A 'tale of two cities' exists in SaaS. Traditional software budgets are frozen, with spending eaten by price hikes from incumbents. Simultaneously, new, separate AI budgets are creating massive opportunities, making the market feel dead for classic SaaS but booming for AI-native solutions.
Begin your AI journey with a broad, horizontal agent for a low-risk win. This builds confidence and organizational knowledge before you tackle more complex, high-stakes vertical agents for specific functions like sales or support, following a crawl-walk-run model.
Unlike startups facing existential pressure, enterprise buyers can benefit from being late adopters of AI. The technology is improving at an exponential rate, meaning a tool deployed in a year will be significantly more capable than today's version, justifying a 'wait and see' approach.
Don't try to optimize your strongest departments with your first AI project. Instead, target 'layup roles'—areas where processes are broken or work isn't getting done. The bar for success is lower, making it easier to get a quick, impactful win.
Don't let fear of pushback from your sales team delay AI implementation. The transition will naturally filter your organization; reps who resist are likely underperformers you should let go, while top performers will embrace the tools to exceed their quotas.