By Greg Linnemanstons
AI agents are no longer a futuristic concept. They’re already at work transforming the ways businesses operate.
These digital assistants, built to autonomously handle tasks, make decisions, and automate workflows, have tremendous power to free employees from tedious, repetitive tasks and shift their focus to more strategic work.
AI agents can improve efficiency, speed decision-making, and create opportunities for a competitive edge. But the key is integrating them in ways that enhance — not replace — human expertise.
Sam Mallikarjunan, general manager at Agent.ai and keynote speaker at Experience Inbound 2025, recently joined me on The ChangeOver Podcast for a conversation about the wide range of work AI agents can perform — and ways they’re already at work reducing friction in decision-making and transforming business operations.
What Makes AI Agents Different?
Unlike traditional AI use cases, such as data analysis, pattern recognition, and text generation, AI agents take action. They can autonomously respond to customer inquiries, schedule meetings, optimize marketing campaigns, and even negotiate contracts. This shift moves AI from a support tool to an active business asset.
Productivity Gains (and Challenges)
AI agents handle repetitive work dependably, consistently, tirelessly, and really fast. They can manage those tedious, redundant tasks — often in a fraction of the time it would take a human worker, and without the risk of inattentiveness impacting quality.
But remember, it’s artificial intelligence, and AI requires oversight. Poor implementation or lack of guardrails can lead to errors and reputational risks. Employees collaborating with AI agents need training to work effectively and ensure a balance between automation and human insight.
As capabilities and adoption grow, businesses will need to ensure their agents operate within frameworks that prioritize accuracy, oversight, and customer experience, to balance efficiency gains with the risks of inaccurate or inappropriate responses.
Overcoming Adoption Barriers
The biggest challenge for most businesses has little to do with technical limitations; it’s knowing where to start.
The best way forward is to start small and experiment in controlled environments. Mallikarjunan advises leaders to identify and prioritize tasks that demand employee time, yet add little value. Small-scale implementations, like automating FAQs, meeting summaries, or basic reporting, can help demonstrate the benefits to drive buy-in and build momentum for broader adoption.
A Measured Approach to AI Integration
Successful adoption requires an iterative approach: start small, refine capabilities, and ensure ethical deployment. Use AI to complement human skills and create new opportunities for people — not to replace them. Companies that embrace AI thoughtfully stand to improve both efficiency and employee satisfaction.
But the greatest threat to business may be ignoring AI. Companies that don’t make moves now risk falling behind faster and further than they anticipate, especially as AI innovation continues to advance.
The issue isn’t whether AI will replace workers—it’s about whether companies leveraging AI will outperform those that don’t.
Experience the Future of Work
AI is transforming business, and the best way to stay ahead is to learn from the experts leading the change. Join us at Experience Inbound, Wisconsin’s premier marketing and sales conference, to learn more about AI agents from Sam Mallikarjunan. And tune in to The ChangeOver Podcast by Weidert Group to learn more about the latest in industrial marketing and sales growth strategies.
Greg Linnemanstons, President, Weidert Group
With 18+ years in senior management roles at Fortune 500® and medium-sized companies, an M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and nearly 25 years at the helm of Weidert Group, Greg leads teams helping B2B companies drive growth through strategic
