From “waiting for instructions” to “achieving goals”: AI agents paving the way for AI transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises

Many small and medium-sized businesses are facing unprecedented management challenges, such as severe labor shortages and rising costs. As a solution, there is an urgent push to introduce AI, but there are also many voices saying that even after implementing popular generative AI tools, they have not achieved the expected results. One reason for this is that conventional generative AI has been, at its core, a “prompt-dependent” tool that only works when given human instructions. This article explains the importance of “AI agents,” a next-generation technology that goes beyond the limits of this prompt-dependent model and autonomously completes tasks. We will introduce the essence of “AI transformation (AIT),” which is essential for small and medium-sized businesses to achieve sustainable growth, as well as the specific areas where it can be put into practice.

The essence of AI transformation (AIT) is not to use AI to streamline only “part” of existing business processes. Rather, it is to fundamentally rebuild the way a company is managed and its entire business structure on the premise that AI technology exists. A common pitfall is to keep conventional workflows intact while trying to replace only data entry and writing tasks with generative AI. However, this merely shortens work time in a limited way and is unlikely to lead to fundamental business growth. True AI transformation means shifting management from the stage where “humans use AI as a convenient tool” to the stage where “AI is entrusted with business goals, and humans focus on higher-value work.” What makes this possible is the existence of “AI agents.”

An AI agent refers to an autonomous AI that breaks down tasks on its own, selects the necessary methods, and carries them out in order to achieve a goal presented by the user.

With this major technological advancement, there will no longer be a need for humans to constantly provide instructions, and the organization’s execution capability will improve dramatically.

The use of AI agents simultaneously helps address labor shortages and achieve a high level of standardized operations. I will explain the specific areas where change will occur from three perspectives.

In retail and service industries, the responsibilities of store managers and supervisors who oversee a location are extremely wide-ranging. AI agents can autonomously support complex day-to-day decisions behind the scenes, such as customer traffic forecasting, staff shift allocation, and inventory optimization. For example, by comprehensively analyzing past data, weather conditions, and local event information, they can proactively suggest the next actions to consider, such as, “We need to increase staffing by X people for tomorrow’s peak hours,” or “This product is likely to run low on stock, so we recommend placing an order today.” As a result, store managers are relieved of the burden of aggregating complex data and making forecasts, making it easier for them to focus on human-centered tasks such as serving customers and caring for staff.

AI agents are also effective in specialized work that requires advanced knowledge and experience and tends to depend on specific individuals. For example, in event operations for professional sports teams, a series of tasks such as analyzing an opposing team’s data, developing promotion strategies based on that analysis, drafting customer communications, and monitoring ticket sales has traditionally been handled in relay fashion by different human staff members. By using AI agents, it is possible to have most of these multi-step tasks handled consistently and autonomously. This allows staff to focus on broader judgment and final decision-making, helping prevent overreliance on individuals while enabling a high-quality operating structure with a small team.

For small and medium-sized businesses that struggle to secure sufficient human resources for education and training, employee development is an ongoing challenge. Here, AI agents function as “digital instructors” that provide personalized training tailored to each employee’s knowledge level and proficiency. Rather than simply having everyone read the same manual, the AI agent answers questions in a conversational format, administers tests to check understanding, and automatically suggests the most suitable review program based on the results. By autonomously handling everything from question support to evaluation, AI can significantly reduce the burden on senior employees and instructors while raising the skill level of the entire organization in a more uniform way.

When integrating the excellent technology of AI agents into management, one thing to be careful about is letting “introducing AI” become the goal in itself. The key to success is to have an “issue-first” perspective: what exactly is the most serious issue your company is currently facing? Even if you rush to implement a company-wide system without a clear objective, it may fail to take root on the front lines and only drive up costs. The recommended approach is to start small with an MVP (minimum viable product) that has only the minimum necessary features, focusing on a single business area with a clearly defined problem. By using a “lean and agile” method—actually running AI agents in the field and repeating trial and error while gathering feedback—you can minimize investment risk while building solid results and accumulating internal know-how.

AI agents are not merely tools that make everyday work a little easier. Their ability to think and act autonomously toward given goals has the potential to fundamentally transform the business models of small and medium-sized enterprises. This technology truly shows its value in challenging environments marked by limited resources and chronic labor shortages. By leveraging the speed of decision-making and organizational flexibility that large companies do not have, and by rapidly integrating AI agents into their management, businesses can take the first step toward building a solid competitive advantage even in an era of rapid change.