AI + a16z

The Future of Digital Workers

Mar 20, 2025

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.

26:31

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Prabhav Jain

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Quick takeaways

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.

Intro

2min

Exploring the Nature of Agentic Products in AI

2min

Navigating B2B Complexities with Innovative Digital Workers

2min

Navigating the Evolution of Digital Workers and AI

4min

Navigating Product Overhaul Challenges

17min

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.

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