When an AI agent is a better answer than another hire—and when you really need a person.
The short answer
Choose an AI agent when the need is repeatable legwork with clear outputs; hire when the role needs relationships, judgment or creativity. Often the best answer is both: an agent that makes your existing team twice as effective.
Key takeaways
Data gathering, drafting, formatting, checking and reporting.
Negotiation, strategy, leadership, complex customer relationships.
Agents prepare, people decide. Switch designs agents so your team directs and approves the work.
For repetitive work, usually, but compare on outcomes.
They usually reshape roles toward higher-value work.
How this guide was made
Written and reviewed by our editors against vendor documentation, public regulation texts and practitioner interviews. We update guides when products or rules change. Tools mentioned may have a commercial relationship with this site; this never decides what we recommend.
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