Agentic artificial intelligence (AI agents) is gaining popularity beyond the technology sector, amid intensifying competition among major companies, including Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic, to capture a share of the growing market for AI agents designed for personal use.
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Although leading AI labs have offered tools capable of performing tasks autonomously for years, agents designed to act proactively on users’ behalf have become widely adopted this year. Their applications range from grocery shopping to managing daily to-do lists.
However, for beginners, understanding the differences between the products offered by various companies and determining which agents are best suited to specific tasks can be confusing.
Here are some tips for those looking to start using AI agents in their personal lives, professional work or both.
Don’t rely on a single agent build an integrated toolkit
Many people in the technology sector use several AI agents from different companies, both at work and in their personal lives.
According to José Artegas, a business consultant specializing in AI strategy, the reason is that “there is currently no single AI agent that represents the ideal solution capable of doing everything.”
Like many regular users of these tools, Artegas relies on what is known as a “stack,” a term referring to combining multiple tools and technologies to achieve the best results.
The core functions targeted by companies developing consumer-facing AI agents vary, as does the ease of accessing them.
Some tools are free, while others require a monthly subscription. Others are still in testing or are not available to all users. Access is also restricted in some countries outside the United States.
Experts believe that relying on a single agent may not be the best option for those seeking to get the most out of these tools and increase their productivity.
Clara Gieglin, founder of Oudae Labs, a research lab specializing in developing tools for AI agents, said: “I prefer to rely on a system of checks and mutual review, in which one agent performs a task and then I ask another agent to review and critique the work. This makes it possible to identify errors, correct them and improve the results.”
Take advantage of each agent’s strengths and weaknesses
Major AI companies market their consumer-facing agents in different ways, often focusing on their ability to help users manage workloads or organize busy personal lives.
Anthropic has said it developed its agent, Claude Duet, to serve “professionals and small-business owners who have more responsibilities than they can keep track of.”
Meta, meanwhile, said its Muse agent can help users with a range of tasks, including “saving money, improving health, shopping smarter and even helping to strengthen personal relationships.”
Claude Duet, OpenAI’s Dots and xAI’s Grok Bot have been described as tools that aim to function like a work colleague or even an office manager.
Muse and Instinct, developed by startup Spear Street Technology, have instead been presented as more like personal assistants. However, this does not mean that any of these tools is incapable of performing tasks beyond its primary uses.
Artegas said he recommends Claude Duet to people working on side projects to generate additional income or seeking to establish new businesses.
He considers Dots suitable for identifying and solving problems when dealing with specialized technical tasks, while he recommends Instinct for routine activities, such as sending tedious emails, making reservations and organizing travel plans.
Artegas said these three tools are the ones he uses most frequently. However, he believes Muse could be a suitable starting point for beginners because it is “extremely easy to use” and offers numerous suggestions from the outset to help users discover ways to benefit from it.
Trial and error are essential to finding the right agent
Personal preferences should be taken into account when choosing an AI agent, including how users prefer to interact with it, its communication style and their own assessment of the quality of its work.
These factors should also influence which tasks users choose to delegate to an agent.
Experts recommend trying agents that interest users to explore their capabilities and determine which ones best meet their needs.
Gieglin believes that, when beginning these experiments, it is useful to think about tasks a person performs repeatedly and then select some of them to delegate to AI agents.
She stressed the importance of clearly defining what is required by providing the agent with a specific, detailed objective, along with the context, information and tools needed to complete the task.
Artegas said: “Start with one annoying, repetitive task that you keep putting off.”
However, he noted that the task must be something that can be done online. An AI agent cannot deal with a pile of laundry that you keep postponing folding or organize a drawer full of accumulated belongings.
Writing a lengthy email that you do not want to draft or booking a flight that you have been putting off are two suitable examples to start with.
Artegas added: “You simply have to try different agents and discover what works best for you.”
Decide how much personal information you are willing to share
To handle routine tasks as effectively as possible or act as a proactive assistant, an AI agent needs access to a wide range of personal information about the user.
This may include an email inbox, calendar, personal identification information and even credit card and bank account details if the user wants the agent to sort through accumulated emails, book a flight or make purchases during the holiday season.
This has raised significant concerns among some users about privacy and the protection of personal data.
Gieglin said: “Curiosity is always an excellent starting point, and you can begin by experimenting and exploring the tools.” However, she also stressed the need to “exercise caution” when sharing private information.
Many companies offering personal AI agents to consumers have sought to address these concerns by establishing privacy policies that explain how agents operate on dedicated cloud computers and how users can control the retention of information in these systems’ memories.
