We are about to enter the era of AI agents, and learning about them and deploying them is relevant to every business. What are they? How can a business develop one? How can a business successfully deploy one? How can a business develop a team of AI agents to work together to automate processes? How will these AI agents create value for customers? In this episode of the Value Creators Podcast, Hunter Hastings gets answers to these questions from Michael Walker of SmythOS. Michael is the right expert to learn from because he prioritizes customer-centricity in AI solutions. Michael believes that businesses should put customer needs and benefits first, before technology features. That’s the Value Creators mindset, and it helps businesses to avoid the common pitfall in tech-first startups where excessive focus on features can obscure the value for end-users. According to Michael, this focus on customer problems is foundational, and AI deployment should primarily aid in addressing customer needs rather than showcasing technological capabilities. SmythOS advocates for a future where AI and humans work in synergy to optimize value creation effectiveness. Resources: Connect with Hunter Hastings on LinkedIn Connect with Michael Walker on LinkedIn Follow Michael Walker on Substack The Value Creators Online Course Show Notes: 0:00 | Intro 0:30 | Focus on Customer’s 2:17 | Can AI be Emphatatic? 3:59 | Mainstream Market for AI: Is it Here Yet? 6:47 | SmithOS: Vision and Mission 9:04 | OS: Coordinated AI 11:57 | Solving the Problem of Generating Innovation Idea 15:37 | Can AI Improve the Quality of Technological Investments? 18:01 | AI Boosts Productivity by Optimizing Resource Allocation 19:27 | Michael’s Views on AI: Enabling Smaller, Tech-Driven, Specialized Firms 21:47 | AI May Replace OR Transform SaaS Companies 23:39 | Smith OS: Relationship Between the Owner of the Problem and the Designer of the Solution 25:36 | AI Integration May Eliminate Traditional Company Departmental Silos 28:01 | AI Agents as Team Members 29:30 | AI CEO 31:30 | Hunter’s Contradictory Approach: AI Can Help Us with Vision and Mission 33:41 | Can AI Generate Bold, Unconventional Ideas? 34:34 | Entrepreneurial Intent 36:00 | Changing Interaction Modes will Transform Technology Perception 39:15 | Potential AI Risks and Concerns 40:54 | Wrap - Up
