AI Agents & Your Business: A CEO’s Journey to Smarter, Faster Growth

"People don’t resist time-savers. They resist disruptions."

The Seven-Step Process

Julie: OK, Mitch. I’ve read your post on Substack—“AI Agents Are Here: Will They Revolutionize Your Job or Replace It?”—and I’m sold. AI is happening, especially AI agents. I don’t want to get left behind. But I also don’t want to throw money at AI just because it’s trendy. I need real results.

Mitch: Smart. That’s how you win with AI—not by using it everywhere, but by using it right. So, let’s talk about integrating AI into your company, XYZ APP LLC. You’re making a VR clothing app—meaning fashion, technology, and consumer experience are your three biggest priorities.

Julie: Exactly. Our app lets people see how clothes and jewelry look on them before they buy. They take a picture or video, and our AI-powered system overlays the clothing in real time.

Mitch: Perfect. AI can take that to the next level. Let’s walk through the 7 steps to make sure you get the most out of AI—without breaking the bank or overwhelming your team.

Step 1: Conduct an AI Opportunity & Strategy Audit

Mitch: Before doing anything, we need to audit your current workflows and identify where AI makes the biggest impact. That means looking at your tech stack, customer journey, and bottlenecks.

Julie: That makes sense. But we already use AI for the image processing and rendering. Isn’t that enough?

Mitch: AI is more than just a backend tool. The real opportunity is in automating repetitive tasks, improving personalization, and answering those bigger “how” and “why” questions. For instance, do you know why customers abandon carts before buying? Or how AI could optimize sizing recommendations based on body shape?

Julie: Hm. That’s a good point. Our returns are high because customers aren’t always sure about fit. AI could help there.

Mitch: Exactly. AI can also analyze behavioral data—how long customers look at an item, what they try on but don’t buy, what colors they gravitate toward—to improve recommendations.

Step 2: Start with a Hybrid AI Pilot Program

Julie: So, we should test some of this out before going all in?

Mitch: Bingo. A hybrid approach means starting with off-the-shelf AI tools for quick wins, while building custom AI agents for high-impact areas. For example, ChatGPT or Claude could handle automated customer queries today, while a custom AI model could optimize sizing recommendations over time.

Julie: But how do I get my team on board? They’re already busy.

Mitch: Keep it low-risk. Give them one or two AI tools to play with in their current workflows. Maybe let marketing test AI-generated product descriptions while developers explore how AI can speed up rendering.

Julie: That’s doable. We can start with customer support automation and personalized recommendations first.

Step 3: Build an AI Literacy Program with a “Play-to-Learn” Approach

Julie: But AI can feel intimidating. How do I make sure my team actually wants to use it?

Mitch: You make it fun. No dry training manuals—give your team AI tools and let them play. Maybe run a challenge: “Who can use AI to improve our conversion rates the most?”

Julie: I like that. We could gamify it—whoever finds the most valuable AI use case gets a bonus.

Mitch: Now you’re thinking like an AI-first CEO. People adopt what they enjoy using.

Step 4: Deploy AI Agents as “Invisible Co-Workers”

Julie: I want AI to help my team, not replace them.

Mitch: Good. One way to reduce resistance is by introducing AI as an “invisible co-worker.” Start with AI that works behind the scenes—scheduling, analytics, customer insights—before introducing more visible changes.

Julie: So instead of saying, “AI will change how we work,” I should say, “Here’s a tool that saves you an hour a day?”

Mitch: Exactly. People don’t resist time-savers. They resist disruptions.

Step 5: Establish an AI Governance, Ethics & Security Framework

Julie: What about privacy? Customers are sharing images of themselves to try on clothes. AI’s great, but I don’t want a PR disaster.

Mitch: Smart thinking. AI ethics isn’t optional—it’s a brand differentiator. Customers will trust you more if you’re proactive about security.

Julie: What do I need?

Mitch: Clear guidelines on how AI handles customer data. Encryption. GDPR compliance. And transparency—tell customers exactly how their data is used.

Julie: OK, I’ll assign someone to oversee AI ethics.

Step 6: Leverage AI for “Silent Innovation” Through Shadow Experiments

Julie: We can’t afford to waste time on ideas that don’t work.

Mitch: That’s why you let AI run silent experiments in the background. Test different pricing models, analyze customer behavior, optimize recommendations—but don’t announce it until you see real results.

Julie: So, instead of debating whether AI-driven sizing predictions will work, we quietly test them on a small percentage of users?

Mitch: Exactly. Let the data make the decision.

Step 7: Integrate AI into Client-Facing Feedback & Personalization

Julie: OK, let’s say all of this works. How do we use AI to make customers love our app?

Mitch: AI can personalize their experience. Imagine logging into the app and seeing a personalized “New Arrivals” section based on past try-ons. Or getting an AI-powered stylist suggesting outfits that match their body type.

Julie: That could make shopping addictive.

Mitch: And when customers feel like the app knows them, they’re more likely to buy.

Final Thoughts

Julie: OK, Mitch, I’m in. What’s my next step?

Mitch: Start small. Run an AI audit next week. Pick one low-risk area for your pilot program. And most importantly? Make AI feel like a helping hand—not a hammer.

Julie: AI as a co-worker, not a disruptor. Got it.

Mitch: Now, go build the future of virtual fashion.

Your Turn

What about you? If you were in Julie’s shoes, which step would you implement first in your business? Drop your thoughts in the comments. ??

Mitch Jackson, Esq. | links

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