Learn about how a rush to implement AI agents can mean big investment without clear returns.
While initially coined in 1989 as one of the seven habits of highly effective people, “begin with the end in mind,” is a reminder that in the age of AI, it’s smart for business leaders to start by evaluating their desired future.
For many leaders, the rush to implement enterprise-wide AI, whether it’s generative AI or AI agents, has left executives facing an all-too-common challenge: significant investments without clear returns. While autonomous AI agents are designed to automate tasks and enhance productivity, organizations may be paying to replicate functions their teams could accomplish using existing resources and tools, making the investment hard to justify.
Complicating the conversation is that AI is a fast-moving field with the evolution from individual tools to integrated AI agent frameworks. The choices you make today may not be the same choices you would make in six months. Rather than going all in on one technology or an enterprise-wide deployment, leaders should start by defining their ROI and making decisions based on use cases over technology.
Shift the Focus to Organizational Efficiencies
Many businesses feel pressure to “check the box” on AI implementation, especially as competitors showcase their AI initiatives. However, the key is shifting focus from personal productivity to organizational efficiency through AI agent frameworks. While AI tools might help with individual tasks like emails or notes, AI agents can address organizational bottlenecks and identify systematic improvements.
For example, consider a manufacturing company’s approach to parts management. Rather than implementing AI across all operations, they deployed an agent specifically to help their technical specialists navigate complex parts catalogs and automate routine ordering processes. This targeted implementation freed senior staff to focus on complex problem-solving while delivering clear, measurable value.
Limit Scope and Run Pilots to Achieve ROI
Limiting scope and running AI agent pilots reduces costs and makes ROI more attainable while allowing organizations to test agent platforms and maintain flexibility. For mid-sized businesses, this approach is particularly valuable. While you may not want to be on the bleeding edge, you also can’t afford to be left behind.
To identify where an AI agent could help your organization, look for areas where:
- A key team member’s expertise creates a natural bottleneck
- Routine tasks consume significant time from highly skilled personnel
- Implementation can occur without major security or privacy concerns
- ROI can be clearly measured and tracked
Focused pilots, which require a fraction of the budget of enterprise-wide investments, allow leaders to address common implementation challenges around data quality and integration while building internal expertise. For organizations already using robotic process automation (RPA), AI agents can complement and enhance these existing investments rather than replace them.
Solving Age-Old Business Problems
At their core, many AI agent frameworks address familiar business problems. What’s novel isn’t the challenges being solved, but the speed and cost-effectiveness of the solutions. By starting small and focusing on clear business outcomes, organizations can gain practical experience without extensive technical resources.
Most organizations are still figuring out how using AI and AI agents makes sense for their company. The good news is that you don’t need to solve everything at once. Success with AI agents isn’t about having the latest technology — it’s about choosing the right problems to solve right now.
By beginning with the end in mind, you can strategically implement AI agents in a way that neither overextends resources nor misses opportunities to enhance your organizational capabilities.
This article was originally published on Crain’s Cleveland.
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