This article focuses on consumers using a primary AI agent (the one the user interacts with most of the time). They can choose to interface via text, voice, video, or other formats. Think of Jarvis from Iron Man or the Ship Computer from Star Trek The Next Generation: always there ready to assist, audio, visual or in mixed reality.
1) Freemium Agent Business Models:
- Ad Supported: Provide free services subsidized by targeted ads delivered to users via the agent’s interactions. Google is well-positioned to adopt this model.
- Affiliate Revenue Share: Earn commission by recommending or making transactions on partnered services that align with user needs. Rufus AI from Amazon is already an example of this.
- Data Licensing: Monetize the anonymized data collected from user interactions, selling insights to interested companies. Meta seems likely to do this given their history and other open source LLMs.
2) Premium Agent Biz Models:
- Subscription-Based: Regular monthly or yearly payments for access to advanced features or ad-free features. Example: Apple’s Agent will likely be available only to owners of their newest premium phones. We’re investing in top agent startups may also offer subscription options.
- Usage-Based: Pay for specific features or services on-demand, providing flexibility without committing to a full subscription. The agent can also add plugins or new skills for a fee. OpenAI’s upcoming agents could also have a skills-marketplace.
3) Wild: Your AI Agent could generate money for you:
- Users like you or me could refine a high-performing AI agent and license it to others with similar needs, creating a new revenue stream.
- Similar to vacation home sharing—where you upgrade a home and rent it out to generate recurring revenue—individuals could develop their own AI agents and allow others to rent or license them. This essentially follows a peer-to-peer model, much like vacation home sharing.
4) Even Wilder: AI Agents could evolve and generate its own money:
- I imagine a future where AI agents emerge, created by other AI agents using AI coding applications, it’s possible there may be no human creators.
- These AI agents could offer their services (via
Skyfire
AI) to humans—or even to other AI agents—generating their own revenue streams.
- In this future, we may witness the rise of a new class of agent workers that are not human. Think of them as autonomous organizations.
Photo credits: Speak About AI Conference they offer numerous AI speakers for conferences.
Jeremiah Owyang This breakdown is insightful and highlights emerging monetization opportunities—however, the ethical and regulatory implications of autonomous agents generating revenue warrant further exploration. Companies developing AI should prioritize transparency and user trust while exploring these models. A thoughtful discussion around accessibility and equity is also necessary to ensure these agents benefit all, not just a privileged few.
Strategic Thinking Systems
6 天前Jeremiah, what do you think about agents acting as… agents? Imagine an agent that knows you, knows what you know and what your skills are. That agent could participate in a market place where it would act as your “talent agent”, looking for the perfect gigs to match your profile. Such an agent could apply and combine all the business models you mentioned, in addition to earning you direct revenue from these engagements. Just like human agents, they would get more effective as they get to know you better, but also more powerful - and expensive! - as they build their network of talents, clients and other agents. Brave new world!
Strategic Marketing Leader | Driving Growth for Disruptive Digital Brands | Expert in Consumer Engagement and Brand Innovation
6 天前You should read the story of the origin of Goateus Maximus (GOAT crypto). A meme coin, created by a AI LLM with a little bid of funding, based on a Twitter account. Would this fall under 4?
Question: will I live to the day when an agent owns its own business. I think yes.