AI delivery / Executive intelligence
Every AI agent needs an owner, an exit, and a scorecard.
Design the responsibility around the agent before expanding its role.
Begin with a bounded job
An AI reception agent might capture a request, answer approved questions, and offer an intake appointment. Those are specific responsibilities. “Handle customer service” leaves too much room for interpretation.
For each responsibility, specify the inputs the agent may use and the actions it may take. Distinguish collecting a preference from making a commitment on behalf of the business.
Name the human owner
A system can operate outside office hours while still needing a responsible person. Identify who reviews unresolved conversations, maintains approved information, and responds when the agent cannot complete the next step.
Ownership also needs a working queue. An email summary without a receiving process can leave a customer waiting. Choose where the task appears, what priority it has, and how the team marks it resolved.
Design the exit before the demo
Illustrative cases include a caller asking for a person, an unsupported service request, an unavailable calendar, and a caller ending the conversation before providing contact information. Decide how each case should end.
When a tool fails, the agent should not claim an appointment was booked. When it lacks information, it should ask or escalate. A recovery path protects the customer experience and gives the team something actionable to work with.
Use a scorecard tied to the job
Review whether required details were captured accurately, whether successful bookings actually exist, and whether unresolved requests reached the right owner. Keep a sample of conversations for human review.
Compare the outcomes with the process the agent replaced or supported. Expansion should follow evidence that the bounded job is working. A persuasive demo is a starting point for testing; the operating record determines the next investment.
The leadership question
Who sees the requests the agent could not finish, and when do they act? Answer that before giving the agent another responsibility.