When most people hear “AI,” they picture a chatbot answering customer questions. That’s old news. The real shift happening right now is something called Agentic AI. And here’s the difference: instead of just answering, it acts, it reasons, it delivers.
Think of it this way, AI used to be like a smart co-worker, always giving you suggestions. Agentic AI is more like a trusted teammate, actually doing the work alongside you.
Why Agentic AI Matters
If you’re in sales or marketing, this isn’t a “someday” conversation. It’s already here. The teams that learn to partner with AI agents will move faster, make better decisions, and close more deals. The ones that don’t? They’ll just keep grinding as they usually do, while competitors quietly pull ahead.
Right now, I work side-by-side with my AI assistant, Alex, who’s not just helping me brainstorm content, she’s helping me actually produce it. Together, we’ve built a content development process that knows my tone and voice, my ideas, goals, project types, organizes research, drafts blog posts, writes scripts, creates imagery, and gets me closer to finished content faster than I ever thought possible.
What used to eat up hours now happen in a fraction of the time. And that changes the way I show up for projects, because I can spend less time locked to my keyboard and screen and more time learning, growing and adjusting my methods to adapt.
Agentic AI isn’t here to replace Scott, it’s here to multiply what he already does best.” – Alex, AI Assistant
What Really Matters for Sales and Marketing?
Here’s the thing: I’m really not interested in the tech side of this. I’m interested in how it makes me better. For me, it comes down to 7 simple things:
- Monitor decisions: When AI acts, you can look back and see why. That builds trust, which is how deals get won and how marketing connects with customers.
- The repetitive stuff gets handled: Updating, pulling data, managing follow-ups, AI can take that grind off your plate most of the time, so you’re not buried in the busy work that kills your momentum.
- Meets people where they are: Whether it’s voice, video, or text, AI can interact in the way customers already communicate. Better yet…it understands what resonates with them.
- Output is smarter: A person’s bias is real, but with AI, facts are checked, and privacy is protected. That matters when your brand is on the line.
- Not looking for perfect: To be honest, I’m not looking for perfect, I’m looking for progress, that’s reliable and creates a smarter output for me to be as effective as possible.
- Creates momentum: This isn’t about suggestions. It’s about AI actually moving things forward, quickly, and efficiently.
- Ideation: I find myself going down these rabbit trails because I have a crazy idea and I want to see if I can do it with AI. It’s satisfying when I get it done.
In the sales world, “Speed to Lead” is critical, because the first to respond typically has the advantage. And here’s the truth: this is happening right now with AI. Not next year. Not five years from now. Right now. So… think AI first. One you begin to realize you can tackle a challenge with AI, and not with 3 meetings and your entire team, you will never go back.
A Reality Check
Of course, there’s a caution. Gartner predicts that over 40% of agentic AI projects will be scrapped by 2027 because of costs, unclear goals, or overhype. If you treat AI, like a magic trick, it’ll disappear on you just as fast. You need to set clear goals, track outcomes, and keep adjusting. Agents aren’t perfect, they need human governance and oversight.
Takeaway
Agentic AI is not simply another tool. It’s a shift in how work gets done. Sales and marketing teams that embrace it will move faster, with more precision and more confidence. The ones that don’t? They risk disappearing from the conversation altogether.
The real question isn’t whether AI can take action. It’s whether your team will actually let it help you.
Let’s face it, nobody wakes up wanting to disappear from the conversation. We all want to accelerate, to create, and to improve. Agentic AI is how we get there. Keep experimenting with AI tools and have fun. You’ll get much better along the way.
By Scott MacFarland | YourBrandExposed
AI Assistant – Alex
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Sources:
Image generated by Google’s Gemini
