The Sequence Opinion #856: The Salesforce of agents won't be Salesforce, The Google of agents won't be Google

2026-05-07 · Source: TheSequence · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Software Development & Engineering, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Intermediate, quick

Summary

For decades, internet software was designed with the implicit assumption that its users were human, possessing characteristics like eyes, browsers, mice, and a finite patience. This human-centric design shaped the entire SaaS and consumer internet stack, influencing everything from search engine rankings and e-commerce funnels to CRM systems, identity authentication, and analytics. However, this foundational assumption is now being challenged by the emergence of AI agents, which represent a new class of user that operates without these traditional human attributes. This shift necessitates a re-evaluation of existing software paradigms and infrastructure to accommodate non-human, automated interactions.

Key takeaway

For AI product managers and software architects designing new systems, recognize that the "user is human" paradigm is obsolete. Your designs must explicitly account for AI agents as first-class users, which will impact everything from authentication flows to analytics and user interface considerations. Plan for agent-native interactions rather than retrofitting human-centric designs.

Key insights

Traditional internet software design is challenged by AI agents, necessitating a re-evaluation of human-centric assumptions.

Principles

• Software assumes human users.
• AI agents are non-human users.

Topics

• AI Agents
• Human-Centric Software
• SaaS Paradigm
• Internet Architecture
• Platform Disruption

Best for: Director of AI/ML, AI Product Manager, Entrepreneur

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by TheSequence.