Jon Reed, an enterprise tech analyst, dives into the current landscape of AI agents in business, drawing from frontline experiences and industry conferences. He discusses the critical need for organizations to prioritize AI readiness and cultivate a culture of trust, avoiding the pitfalls of 'shadow AI.' Jon emphasizes the importance of defining clear business outcomes over abstract autonomy, advocating for hybrid agent-human designs. His grounded strategies highlight how fostering experimentation can lead to meaningful impact and faster ROI—essential insights for businesses navigating the AI revolution.
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insights INSIGHT
AI Agents at Early Adoption Stage
AI agents are at an early adoption stage with primarily aggressive early adopters deploying live use cases.
Enterprises face a crucial crossroads deciding their AI strategy and stance on autonomy in agentic AI.
insights INSIGHT
AI's Longstanding Limitations
AI as a technology has longstanding limitations like hallucinations and accuracy issues that won't be resolved quickly.
Generative AI was designed with AGI ambitions, not enterprise productivity, requiring complex architectures for current enterprise use.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Create Safe AI Sandboxes
Companies should create safe AI sandboxes with proper permissions to encourage secure, risk-free experimentation.
Reward and recognize employees who innovate with AI tools to reduce shadow AI usage and stimulate engagement.
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Is your AI strategy built for sustainable impact—or stuck chasing the next big trend?
In this episode, host Andreas Welsch welcomes enterprise tech analyst Jon Reed for a candid discussion on what’s actually happening with AI agents in business today. Drawing from recent enterprise conferences and frontline conversations, Jon shares hard-won insights into what works, what doesn’t, and why so many AI projects still fail to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Discover the foundational shifts organizations must make to move beyond pilots and hype cycles:
Focus on AI readiness over AI-first: Learn why leading with experimentation, not mandates, sets the stage for responsible and scalable AI adoption.
Build a culture of trust, not fear: Understand how shadow AI is spreading—and how safe sandboxes and clear communication can turn experimentation into impact.
Prioritize business outcomes, not abstract autonomy: Explore how hybrid agent-human designs deliver ROI faster than full automation—and why “good enough” might be good enough to start.
Treat AI like a data project: From agent performance measurement to governance protocols, hear why the enterprise AI stack demands more than plugging in a model.
Whether you’re a CIO navigating vendor noise, a business leader seeking ROI, or a transformation leader building internal alignment—this episode delivers grounded strategies and real-world guidance for leading in the era of Agentic AI.
Tune in now to explore what it takes to make AI both productive and practical in the enterprise.
*********** Disclaimer: Views are the participants’ own and do not represent those of any participant’s past, present, or future employers. Participation in this event is independent of any potential business relationship (past, present, or future) between the participants or between their employers.
What’s the BUZZ? — AI in Business 
