Prabhav Jain, CTO of 11x, pioneers the development of autonomous digital workers to revolutionize sales workflows. He discusses the evolution of agentic AI, emphasizing the importance of balancing orchestration and autonomy. Jain explains the challenges of real-time voice AI and the need for measurable customer outcomes. The conversation dives into the innovative design of 11x's products, Alice and Mike, and shares lessons from their platform overhaul. Ultimately, they explore how startups can thrive amid rapid technological change in AI.
Agentic AI systems like 11x's Alice and Mike distinguish themselves by integrating decision-making capabilities, significantly enhancing productivity in sales and revenue operations.
The rapid evolution of AI demands that startups prioritize customer outcomes while fostering a culture of adaptability and ownership to remain competitive.
Deep dives
Understanding Agentic Systems
Agentic systems represent a new paradigm in AI, distinguishing themselves from traditional automation and workflow tools by their ability to plan, reason, and adapt to dynamic environments. The essence of an agentic product extends beyond rule-following to include decision-making capabilities and continuous improvement over time. For instance, evaluating the quality of written content demonstrates the complexity of agentic functions, as such judgments often lack a definitive right answer. Recognizing this multifaceted nature of agentic systems is crucial for developing AI solutions that resonate with real-world challenges.
The Role of Digital Workers at 11X
11X focuses on creating digital workers that enhance productivity for revenue teams in sales, marketing, and operations. Their flagship products, Alice and Mike, illustrate this commitment; Alice automates customer outreach via multiple channels, while Mike functions as a voice agent. Both products streamline complex processes, allowing companies to engage effectively with potential leads while minimizing the backend complications the users might face. The emphasis on user experience ensures that customers can effortlessly harness the power of these digital agents without being bogged down by underlying complexities.
Adapting to Rapid Changes in Tech
The fast-paced evolution of AI technologies requires companies like 11X to be agile and responsive to new advancements. The introduction of generative models challenged the team to adapt quickly, balancing innovation with customer needs to maintain product effectiveness. As demonstrated by the continual refinement of their products based on emerging technologies, 11X prioritizes customer outcomes in their decision-making processes. This dedication to testing and implementation ensures that they leverage cutting-edge innovations to enhance their offerings while providing valuable solutions to their clients.
Building an Adaptive Team Culture
To sustain a competitive edge in the rapidly changing AI landscape, 11X emphasizes a culture of ownership, adaptability, and resilience within their team. Employees are encouraged to take initiative and pursue customer success relentlessly, reflecting the company's core philosophy. This approach also requires team members to remain flexible and willing to pivot when necessary, fostering an environment in which creative problem-solving thrives. Leadership plays a pivotal role in integrating vision with execution, helping the team navigate the challenges and opportunities that arise in their innovative journey.
In this episode of AI + a16z, a16z Partner Joe Schmidt sits down with 11x CTO Prabhav Jain for an inside look at how AI-powered digital workers are reshaping sales and revenue operations. They discuss the evolution of agentic AI, the trade-offs between orchestration and autonomy, and the technical innovations driving 11x’s products, Alice and Mike.
Prabhav breaks down the challenges of real-time voice AI, the complexities of multimodal agent interactions, and why the future of enterprise AI is about delivering measurable customer outcomes—not just automation. They also dive into the fast-moving landscape of model providers, the impact of open-source AI, and how startups can stay ahead in an environment of constant technological change.
Plus, they explore 11x’s bold decision to re-architect its platform from the ground up, the lessons learned from scaling AI-powered sales automation, and what it takes to build truly effective digital workers.
Key Takeaways:
The difference between true AI agents and complex orchestrations—and why it matters.
How 11x built Alice and Mike to deliver human-like sales performance at scale.
The cutting-edge advancements shaping AI voice assistants and real-time multimodal interactions.
Lessons from rebuilding an AI platform while supporting a fast-growing customer base.
How AI startups can balance rapid iteration with long-term strategic bets.
For anyone interested in AI-powered automation, enterprise sales, or the future of digital work, this episode offers a front-row seat to the latest innovations pushing the boundaries of AI agents.