What’s Inside
Why AI agents “beyond the desk” may have the biggest impact
Agentic tech could be the next infrastructure layer for startups
What happens when humans and AI share the same workspace
Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, where I share a behind-the-scenes look at how my stories in venture and startups take shape.
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In the past week, my inbox has become flooded with pitches from AI founders and marketing reps who are building agents for every imaginable task, from Travel scheduling to warehouse operations.
The wave of responses began pouring in after I posted a call for sources on Qwoted, where I said I was in search of AI agents in action across different industries, whether they be startups, enterprises, nonprofits or government. I am specifically looking for blue collar workers, hourly employees and people who don’t work behind a desk, but who are using AI agents.
The reactions were telling. Most of the early replies came from vendors and builders — not surprising — but it reinforced a point that keeps coming up in conversations lately: most AI impact discussions are about what’s being built for the white-collar positions, not how it’s actually being used by the rest of the population.
Some may disagree, but media attention is concentrated on AI tools associated with desk work, such as productivity apps, co-pilots and content generation.
But the more impactful changes are happening beyond the desk, in places where work is physical, routine or hands-on. Think warehouse floors, hospital wards, logistics hubs and food service operations.
That’s where AI agents — autonomous or semi-autonomous systems that can perceive, decide, and act within real-world environments — are making their mark and what I want to write more about.
