Transforming Business with Agentic AI: Insights from VentureBeat's Transform 2025

At VentureBeat’s Transform 2025 event, industry leaders convened to discuss the burgeoning role of agentic AI in reshaping business operations. This gathering highlighted the urgent need for organizations to establish effective evaluation infrastructures as they deploy AI agents in real-world scenarios.

Key Insights from Industry Leaders

Among the notable speakers were Joanne Chen, general partner at Foundation Capital; Shailesh Nalawadi, VP of project management at Sendbird; Thys Waanders, SVP of AI transformation at Cognigy; and Shawn Malhotra, CTO of Rocket Companies. They shared their experiences and insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI agents.

Efficiency and Transformation

One of the primary motivations for deploying AI agents is the potential for significant savings in human capital. Shailesh Nalawadi emphasized this point, stating, “The initial attraction of any of these deployments for AI agents tends to be around saving human capital — the math is pretty straightforward. However, that undersells the transformational capability you get with AI agents.”

Rocket Companies, represented by Shawn Malhotra, demonstrated how AI agents can enhance business performance. Malhotra revealed that their agent-based approach to customer interactions has led to a remarkable increase in website conversion rates. “We’ve found that with our agent-based experience, clients are three times more likely to convert when they engage through that channel,” he stated.

Real-World Applications

Malhotra also shared a compelling example of how quickly and effectively AI agents can be developed. An engineer at Rocket built an agent in just two days to automate the complex task of calculating transfer taxes during mortgage underwriting. This initiative resulted in an impressive annual savings of over one million dollars. “In 2024, we saved more than a million team member hours, mostly off the back of our AI solutions. That’s not just saving expense. It’s also allowing us to focus on more strategic initiatives,” he added.

Conclusion

The discussions at VentureBeat’s Transform 2025 highlight the critical role that agentic AI plays in driving efficiency and innovation in businesses. As organizations continue to explore the deployment of AI agents, establishing robust evaluation infrastructures will be essential for maximizing their impact and ensuring sustainable growth.

Rocket Commentary

The discussions at VentureBeat’s Transform 2025 event underscore a pivotal moment for businesses as they evaluate the integration of agentic AI. While the insights from leaders like Joanne Chen and Shailesh Nalawadi emphasize efficiency and transformation, it’s crucial to remember that the deployment of AI agents must prioritize ethical considerations and accessibility. Without robust evaluation infrastructures, organizations risk perpetuating biases and inefficiencies that AI was designed to eliminate. The potential for AI to reshape business operations is immense, but it hinges on a commitment to responsible implementation that fosters trust and maximizes transformative impact. As we navigate this landscape, the industry must ensure that AI serves as a catalyst for positive change, benefiting both businesses and end-users alike.