What is an AI Agency? Your partner for utilizing AI

The use of AI is essential for modern business. While many companies want to introduce AI, they are faced with challenges such as "I don't know where to start," "What can it do?" and "How much will it cost?"

In the past, introducing AI required specialized knowledge, time, and cost, but the situation is changing with the evolution of AI agents and the shift to SaaS. With the right approach, it is now easier to get started and produce results without programmers having to develop systems. However, if you do it the wrong way, it can be costly, time-consuming, and difficult.

Therefore, Agentools recommends hiring a specialized consultant called an AI Agency. In this article, we explain what an AI Agency is based on Agentools' analysis. We explore smart ways to use AI.

Find the best AI agent for your company with Agentools

What is an AI Agency?

AI Agencies are experts who help companies solve their business problems by selecting and implementing the most suitable AI tools.

Especially in the current age of AI agents, rather than developing and providing services, we use our expertise to answer questions such as "What kind of service is it?", "Is it suitable for my company?", and "What is the cost-effectiveness?", and support the implementation, such as streamlining personnel evaluations. In particular, most problems can now be solved by introducing AI Agent SAAS without the need for original development, and our main focus is on supporting the selection, introduction, and utilization of AI Agent SAAS.

The cost can often be as little as a few tens of thousands of yen per month, and the market is expanding rapidly, especially in the United States, as it is seen as a more efficient and reliable way to achieve results than if a company were to go it alone.

Service categories provided by AI Agency

AI Agency's core service is proposing and supporting the operation of AI Agent SAAS that matches each customer's needs, but it also offers a variety of other services to help client companies effectively utilize AI and achieve business results.

AI implementation consulting & solution selection We help companies solve their business problems by selecting and proposing the most suitable AI tools. Especially in today's world, we prioritize the use of efficient and proven AI Agent SaaS rather than high-cost development from scratch. We provide the "shortest route" to reduce risk and achieve results quickly.

AI Strategy Development Support We support the development of AI utilization plans to achieve the business goals of companies. Based on the current situation analysis, we propose issues that can be solved by AI and the expected effects. One of the characteristics of our agency is that we are good at accompanying our clients from strategy development to execution.

After selecting the optimal AI tool, we will support smooth introduction and on-site use. We will implement the technology, link with existing systems, provide employee training, and provide operational support. This will enable the tool to be "usable" on-site, helping you achieve the planned results.

AI system/model development Custom development is required for special issues or issues that cannot be solved with existing tools. AI Agency can also develop tailor-made solutions, but a "smart agency" will first thoroughly consider existing solutions and only recommend development when truly necessary.

Support for AI human resource development We support AI literacy training, tool utilization training, and specialized skill development to develop human resources who can understand and utilize AI within companies. Our goal is for companies to be able to "self-propel" AI in the future.

Operation, maintenance, and improvement support We will operate, maintain, and improve the AI solution you have introduced to ensure that it continues to produce results. We will carry out monitoring, performance analysis, updates, etc. We will support you to ensure that the tools do not become obsolete and continue to function "efficiently and effectively."

Types of AI agencies and their business models

Although they are all called AI agencies, there are many different areas of expertise and service delivery formats. It is important to know the types and business models available and then choose an AI agency that best suits your company's challenges and objectives.

AI Agency specializing in consulting We focus on business problem analysis and strategy planning rather than AI implementation. We identify optimal solutions from various AI solutions (including SaaS), evaluate feasibility and return on investment, and support roadmap creation. We are suitable for determining the direction in the early stages of AI implementation.

Specialized AI agency for development We perform custom development for special issues that cannot be solved by existing solutions. While having high technical capabilities, a smart agency will first thoroughly consider existing applications and recommend development only when it is truly necessary and will "function effectively" in the business.

We support the automation of routine tasks and the streamlining of processes by utilizing the automation and efficiency-specialized AI Agency RPA and AI Agent SaaS for specific tasks. We demonstrate our strengths in areas such as human resources and accounting, and utilize our knowledge of existing tools to transform operations "quickly and at low cost."

Industry/domain-specific AI agency

We specialize in specific industries and technical fields. Based on our in-depth knowledge of the field, we support "practical and effective" AI utilization. We are also familiar with industry-specific circumstances and can provide precise solutions.

AI agencies have various fee structures for their services, with costs and involvement varying depending on the model.

Main business model

• Project-based: Fees are set on a per-project basis for a specific project. Suitable for one-off projects with clear goals.

• Advisory contract type: Provides ongoing expertise on AI strategies, technology selection, etc. for a certain period of time. Effective when you want to strengthen your AI promotion system in the mid- to long-term.

• Pay-for-performance: Charges are based on the business results achieved through the introduction of AI. Goals are aligned and risks are shared, but results must be clearly defined and measured.

• Subscription type: A fixed monthly fee for the use of specific tools and ongoing support. This is common in AI Agent SaaS and can be easily started and continued.

  
  

Understanding these types and models will help you choose the agency that's best for your company.

Differences with AI Agents

AI Agency and AI Agent are often confused, but their roles and the value they provide are different. An Agency is a person or organization, while an Agent is a program or system. Understanding this difference is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the role of an Agency. So what exactly is an AI Agent?

An AI Agent is a program system that performs specific tasks autonomously (chatbots, self-driving cars, etc.). Based on Agentools' analysis, the greatest features of SaaS-type agents can be summed up as "fast, cheap, and efficient".

What is "fast, cheap, and efficient"?

• Fast: It takes only a short time to install and start using, so you can start using it right away.

• Cheap: You can start at an affordable price of just a few tens of thousands of yen per month.

• Smart: It has been refined through widespread use, and it's easy to find a practical tool that fits your company from the wide range of options available.

  
  

The AI Agent SAAS that realizes these "fast, cheap, and good" is what I am talking about. On the other hand, the role of an AI agency is to "recommend which AI agent to use and support its operation" to the customer. In other words, it is a coach for the user of the AI agent.

In summary, Agency supports the selection, introduction, and utilization of AI Agents, a "practical tool set," to solve customer problems. The value of Agency lies in its know-how in identifying the most suitable Agent and effectively incorporating it into the business.

AI Agency is a consultancy that smoothly implements "fast, cheap, and skilled" AI Agents

Agentools believes that AI Agency is a partner that guides companies to use AI efficiently and effectively. The key is to make the most of "fast, cheap, and skilled" AI Agent SaaS. Instead of traditional complicated processes and huge investments, we aim to achieve maximum results with minimal resources by following the practical steps below:

Step 1: Identifying on-site issues and quickly testing the AI Agent SaaS

Identify on-site issues that are "troublesome" or "want to be made more efficient." Skip detailed planning, KPI setting, and PoC, and immediately introduce the AI Agent SaaS that matches the business, and focus on "trying it out." This is a practical first step that is possible only because SaaS is "fast and cheap." This will eliminate the wasteful time and costs that were previously involved.

Step 2: Verify the effect and "switch immediately if it doesn't work"

We conduct trials to confirm whether the introduced SaaS leads to on-site improvements. If the expected results are not obtained, we will not continue the SaaS, but will immediately switch to another AI Agent SaaS and test it. There are many AI Agent SaaS, and it is easy to switch. The advantage is that you can quickly try and error without a large investment until you find a good solution.

Step 3: If multiple SaaS services are not possible, consider custom development

Even after trying many AI Agent SaaS, we only consider high-cost custom development if the problem is difficult to solve or if the problem is extremely special and essential for competitive advantage. This is a last resort that can cost several million to tens of millions of yen, and is different from many cases where AI Agent SaaS can improve the situation. AI Agency strictly determines whether this final decision is really necessary and whether it is cost-effective, and avoids unnecessary development.

The role of AI Agency: A compass for the practical flow of "fast, cheap, and efficient"

AI Agency guides you through this entire flow of "quick trial, verification, and switching" and "development as a last resort." It acts as a compass to find the optimal solution to solve on-site issues "fast, cheap, and well" by avoiding wasteful planning and expensive investments. We support maximizing business results with the optimal use of AI in the modern era.

[Case Study] Business success stories that achieved results by using "efficient and practical" AI Agents

There are many examples of companies that have successfully implemented AI. Here, we will introduce some successful cases that have adopted AI agent SAAS, following the concept of "fast, cheap, and good." What you should know here is that currently, many of the success cases are not related to the company's specialty, but are closer to back office work. These tasks are not key, so they are spreading with the stance of trying them out and continuing if it works well.

4 examples of AI use cases that produce results in the business world

AI is beginning to produce concrete results in various business areas. In this article, we will briefly introduce four examples of AI use cases in major functions such as recruitment, accounting/finance, human resources, and sales.

1. Intuit Assist (integrated with QuickBooks Online): Improving financial management for small and medium-sized businesses

AI integrated into QuickBooks, accounting software for small and medium-sized businesses. Automates and streamlines invoicing, payment reminders, expense recording, and more, and also supports cash flow analysis. Companies that have introduced AI reminders have received (claimed) payments an average of five days earlier, helping to reduce manual work and improve cash flow. Strengths include integration into major accounting software and the value of improving cash flow by automating routine tasks.

2. Workday, Inc. Workday HCM's AI capabilities: Transforming the entire HR process

Overview of AI features: AI/ML built into the major HCM platform Workday supports all HR processes, including recruitment, skill management, and employee engagement. Improves HR efficiency through application screening and task automation. Used by over 10,000 companies, 80% of business leaders have experienced improved efficiency. Has been implemented by many major companies. Strengths include deep integration with major HCMs and comprehensive support.

3. Gong Revenue Intelligence Platform: Maximize sales and revenue

Analyzes customer interactions (phone calls, emails, etc.) with AI/NLP to provide sales insights. Automatically generates conversation summaries, next step recommendations, etc. to strengthen pipeline management. Many powerful quantitative results, including a 35% increase in deal speed and a 141% increase in upselling (claimed). A leader in the revenue intelligence market, with clear effects on improving sales indicators.

4. LAPRAS SCOUT: Accelerating the recruitment of highly skilled engineers

AI specialized for advanced Japanese IT engineers. AI analyzes public data such as GitHub, automatically generates candidate profiles, and calculates skills and market value. Streamlines recruitment by supporting sourcing and scouting. Has a track record of hiring AI engineers in one month. Specializing in the Japanese market, using public data to quickly identify candidates. Many success stories from major companies.

These examples show that AI is no longer just a tool, but is beginning to permeate the business world as an entity that is directly linked to concrete improvements in operational efficiency and results.

Customer targeting from the perspective of AI agencies

We will look at what kind of customers AI Agencies are targeting, and how the spread of AI Agent SaaS is changing the situation. AI use is no longer just for large companies. Perhaps small and medium-sized enterprises can gain an advantage by quickly adopting it.

Conventional AI implementation required high investment, operating costs, and specialized knowledge, and was mainly used by large companies with funds and human resources. For this reason, it was difficult for SMBs, professionals, and freelancers to use AI, and the high cost was a major barrier. However, the situation changed dramatically when AI Agent appeared as SaaS. It was said that "fast, cheap, and good" is its characteristic, but many SaaS are inexpensive, starting at a few tens of thousands of yen per month, and can be easily started using without specialized knowledge. With the arrival of this AI Agent SaaS, SMBs, professionals, and freelancers can now benefit from AI at a realistic cost, and they have become the main target of AI Agencies. Agencies use their SaaS expertise and understanding of their resources to select and introduce the optimal solution. It narrows the gap with large companies and provides an opportunity for them to obtain the "weapon" of powerful, "efficient and practical" AI utilization.

A new customer base seeking AI Agencies, and proposals from Agentools

The advent of AI Agent SaaS has created a new customer base that is eager to utilize AI, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises and freelancers.

Even if they want to start using AI, they don't know where to start or what SaaS is available, so they are looking for specialized consulting.

However, the consulting required of modern AI agencies is centered on practical content, such as extensive SaaS knowledge and understanding the business issues of customers, and supporting the selection and implementation of the optimal SaaS, rather than advanced development knowledge. This is an area that can be fully mastered and handled by people who are familiar with a specific industry or business, or who have experience with customers' businesses.

Agentools is looking for partners who will support small and medium-sized enterprises and freelancers who want to utilize AI in the age of AI Agent SaaS. In particular, we would like those who can "understand the business on the ground" to provide consulting services with us as Agentools Agency.

If you are interested in working with Agentools as a new AI agency, please contact us.

Summary: Let’s create a new AI agency together in the era of AI agents

The arrival of AI Agent SaaS has overturned the conventional wisdom of AI adoption. AI use was previously limited to large companies due to the huge costs and specialized knowledge, but the "fast, cheap, and effective" AI Agent SaaS has made it a reality for small and medium-sized businesses and freelancers.

However, customers are still struggling to determine which SaaS is best for their company from the many options available and how to utilize it in their business. Herein lies the new role of an AI Agency in the age of AI Agent SaaS. It is practical consulting that takes the customer's perspective and guides them to use AI "fast, cheap, and effective."

Agentools would like to strongly promote this new era of AI agency business together with you. Rather than high-level development knowledge, we are looking for someone with experience who can understand our customers' business and select and support the implementation of the optimal AI Agent SaaS.

Join us at Agentools as an Agentools Agency, supporting customers who are struggling with how to use AI and bringing out the true value of our "fast, cheap, and effective" AI Agent SaaS.

If you are interested, let's create a new style of consulting together. We look forward to hearing from you.

Author information

About Agentools

Agentools is a service that recommends AI solutions that contribute to solving customer problems, with the mission of "providing the best AI agents for everyone." It is jointly operated by Growth LLC and Devnagri AI, a leading Indian AI company (awarded the 2024 Graham Bell Prize and Tie50, among others). It provides reliable information with world-class technical capabilities and meticulous research.

Author: Murata Dai, CEO of Agentools Japan

Representative of Agentools Japan. Involved in the analysis of more than 25,000 AI agents in the world, he is passionate about supporting business transformation through technology. He aims to pursue the potential of AI agents and bring that knowledge back to the Japanese business scene. He hopes that this article will be of help to you.