How AI-native companies turn workflows into operating capability

Leading companies are using AI agents (software programs that can take actions autonomously) to transform workflows from simple assistance into executable business processes, with frontier firms generating 8.3 times more output tokens (units of text generated) per user than typical firms. The shift requires connecting agents to company data and tools, delegating substantive work, and making successful workflows repeatable and trustworthy. Examples from startups show how this works: Basis reduced onboarding from two hours to 30 minutes by teaching an agent a stable process, Clay built persistent context for sales deals across scattered data sources, and Exa Labs is working to integrate their search tool into developer workflows at scale.