Bret Taylor, OpenAI board chair and founder of Sierra, shared his views on AI agents at Mobile World Congress, emphasizing their growing importance in customer service. While he avoided giving a precise definition of AI agents, he highlighted their ability to enhance customer interactions, reduce costs, and handle multilingual conversations instantly.
He believes AI-powered customer support can outperform traditional methods, helping brands like SiriusXM and ADT improve service efficiency. Despite these advancements, he acknowledged challenges such as AI-generated misinformation, stressing the need for strong guidelines to prevent errors like incorrect refund policies.
Taylor encouraged businesses to embrace AI even if the technology isn’t perfect, suggesting that narrowing its focus to specific domains can make problem-solving more effective. He pointed to specialized AI applications like Cursor for coding and Harvey for legal tech as successful examples.
Looking ahead, he predicted that AI agents will play a role as significant as websites or mobile apps for brands, potentially becoming the primary customer interaction tool within the next decade. He also foresees a shift in user interfaces, where AI-powered interactions could reduce screen dependence, making engagement more natural and seamless.
Addressing concerns about AI replacing jobs, Taylor acknowledged the disruption but remained optimistic that new opportunities will emerge. He stressed the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure workers can reskill at a pace that matches technological progress.
On OpenAI’s transition from nonprofit to for-profit, he reassured that its core mission remains unchanged but noted that AI development is costly, requiring sustainable funding strategies. He emphasized that any structural changes would aim to support OpenAI’s commitment to advancing AI for the benefit of humanity.
