Agentic AI

Building “Agents of Yourself”

Amidst concern about job impact, there’s another intriguing trend: people are starting to build agents of themselves. In other words, individuals are customizing AI personas that mirror their own style, knowledge, and decision patterns, then setting these agents loose on tasks. For instance, a founder might train an AI on their company’s knowledge base and even their writing style, creating a virtual “mini-me” that can answer employee questions or draft messages as they would. We’re already seeing early versions of this with personal assistant bots that learn a user’s preferences and communication tone These personal AI agents can handle your email inbox, schedule, and even make recommendations aligned with your past choices – essentially functioning as an extension of you

The barriers to creating personal agents are falling. No-code platforms and AI automation tools are popping up, allowing non-programmers to connect language models with everyday apps. With a few hours of setup, you could have an AI agent that, say, monitors your project management board, drafts status updates in your tone, and alerts you only when something truly needs your attention. Some enthusiasts in the developer community have gone further, integrating agents with smart home devices and personal finance apps – letting an AI turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat, pay the bills, and so on, all tailored to their routine. This “agent of oneself” concept is empowering: instead of AI controlled only by big companies, individuals can commission their own digital helpers.

Of course, handing the reins to a personal agent requires trust and caution. We’ve already heard stories of experimental AI agents getting things wrong – even causing damage like deleting the wrong database in a fit of over-enthusiasm. So, building an agent in your image doesn’t mean you retire and let it run wild. But it does mean you might multiply your productivity. For small business owners and SMEs (including those in Northern Ireland’s growing tech scene), a well-trained AI agent could act like a team member handling customer follow-ups, research, or logistics automatically. The key is that you define the agent’s role and rules. In a way, people are learning to become “AI managers,” delegating work to their digital workers.

Opportunities and Outlook

Agentic AI is a double-edged sword: it brings efficiency and scale, but also disruption. On one side, startups and enterprises that leverage agents can punch above their weight. A lean team with good AI agents might achieve what once took dozens of staff – whether it’s coding a new feature overnight or responding to thousands of user queries. This is particularly significant globally and for regions with ambitious tech sectors but limited manpower. For example, a company in Belfast could use AI agents to handle international customer support 24/7, leveling the field against larger competitors. On the other side, the nature of many jobs will change. The early wave of agentic AI suggests the grunt work in many knowledge roles will be offloaded. What remains for humans will be higher-level coordination, creative strategy, complex problem-solving, and of course, the interpersonal touch (we still prefer some human interactions!).

In response, reskilling and policy planning are crucial. Governments and educators are starting to consider how to prepare the next generation for an “AI-augmented” workforce. Rather than eliminating roles, some organizations are redesigning them: entry-level positions might become apprenticeships working with AI, so new workers learn to supervise and refine agents. Policy folks are also weighing guidelines for agentic AI – from ethical use (no rogue AI customer service that deceives people) to economic measures (supporting workers whose roles are disrupted).

The trajectory is clear: agentic AI will become as commonplace as spreadsheets or search engines. We’ll get used to delegating mundane chores to ever-smarter bots. The breakthrough by Replit and others have only accelerated the timeline. The companies and individuals that adapt early – learning how to work alongside AI agents – stand to reap huge benefits in productivity. Those that stick stubbornly to old ways might find themselves outpaced. But if history is any guide, humans won’t just be replaced; we’ll evolve our work alongside these tools. After all, when calculators became widespread, we didn’t fire all mathematicians – we refocused them on more complex problems. Likewise, as AI agents handle the busywork, humans can concentrate on what we do best: creativity, nuanced judgment, and big-picture thinking.

Agentic AI is here, and it’s transforming how work gets done. The smartest move now is to embrace it with eyes wide open – experiment with agents, identify which tasks they can do better, and reimagine roles to make the most of this new collaborative intelligence. The future workplace may hum with digital agents, but it’s humans, empowered and unburdened, who will steer the ship.

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