Everyone’s talking about AI agents—but why all the hype?
“They’re the new future of work,” IBM executive Justina Nixon-Saintil told me when I visited the company’s London headquarters back in February. She predicted that AI agents will soon be so capable that they’ll function like our new co-workers.
Imagine logging into your computer in the morning and being greeted not just by Slack notifications and emails, but by a “hybrid” team—half human, half AI. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s already starting to happen.
“These agents can actually execute the work for you,” Nixon-Saintil said. “Now, managers will need to know how to lead humans and how to lead teams of AI agents.”
And workers are already catching on. According to Upwork’s May 2025 survey of 3,000 knowledge workers:
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54% of skilled freelancers say they have advanced or expert-level AI skills, compared to 38% of full-time employees.
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62% of skilled freelancers now use AI tools several times a week, a huge leap from just 20% in January 2024.
Clearly, AI tools—and especially AI agents—are becoming integral to modern work.
What Exactly Is an AI Agent?
AI agents are early-stage AI tools that don’t just provide answers—they perform complex tasks, acting like a virtual assistant or even a junior employee. McKinsey & Company describes them as tools that can automate tasks like natural language processing or orchestrate workflows that usually require human effort.
Some of the things AI agents can do include:
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Managing and executing multi-step workflows
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Coordinating tasks between multiple agents
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Applying logic to solve complex problems
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Evaluating and improving responses to user queries
You might already be using a simple version of an AI agent without realizing it—Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT are good examples. But the real power comes with advanced “agent mode” tools like:
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MindPal AI
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ChatGPT Agent Mode
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Zapier’s AI agents
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Custom no-code/low-code AI agents you can build yourself
Can ChatGPT Agent Mode Really Make You Money?
As a freelancer with six years of experience, I decided to test ChatGPT’s new Agent Mode to see if it could actually help me grow my business and boost my income.
Here’s what I did:
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Logged into my ChatGPT Plus account
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Enabled Agent Mode
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Gave it a prompt:
“Analyze my LinkedIn profile in-depth and recommend changes that could attract high-paying clients and partnerships.”
Then I watched the magic happen.
The agent:
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Opened a virtual browser tab
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Navigated to my LinkedIn profile
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Analyzed every section of my page
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Produced about 10 actionable recommendations
One tip that stood out:
“Emphasize measurable results in your experience entries. Include revenue growth, client numbers, geographies served, and high-profile partnerships—e.g., ‘Grew coaching business to $300K+ in 2024,’ or ‘Helped 10,000 professionals increase income across eight countries.’”
I’d always told my clients to use metrics, but I’d never thought to highlight my own revenue in the experience section. That single insight could help me land more high-value partnerships.
A $10,000 AI Agent Trick
Here’s another way I used ChatGPT’s Agent Mode:
I asked it to identify 10 key decision-makers in my LinkedIn network who could book me for speaking engagements and to draft a personalized outreach message for each.
At first, the AI couldn’t view my private connections. But once I logged in and let it “take over” the search process, it listed 10 specific contacts and provided outreach templates.
This is the kind of high-impact task that could easily translate into $10,000 or more in booked gigs—without hours of manual research.
One caveat: AI agents can’t always bypass “I’m not a robot” verifications, even if you take over the browser. But for tasks like research, lead generation, and workflow automation, they’re a massive time-saver.
How to Use AI Agents to Grow Your Business
AI agents can help you:
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Research and outline content for freelance writing
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Conduct in-depth market research and compile reports
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Create custom marketing campaigns, complete with visuals and copy
Here’s how to get started:
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Identify repetitive or time-consuming tasks you’d delegate to an assistant
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Choose the right AI agent for your workflow
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Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus (if you want Agent Mode)
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Write specific prompts with clear goals
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Step in when needed to guide the process
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Always review AI outputs before using them
After using ChatGPT’s Agent Mode, I’m convinced—it’s not just hype. I’m already seeing ways to land bigger deals, save hours each week, and scale my freelance income. Over the next few months, I’ll be tracking how this impacts my revenue, and I fully expect my income to double.
If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, give agentic AI a try. These tools can handle tedious tasks in the background while you focus on the creative, high-value work that moves your business forward.