MSDW Podcast: Autonomous agents and AI priorities, with Steve Mordue

Steve Mordue joins us to talk about the AI landscape that SMBs are facing today and how that led to his team's launch of a new AI offering, RapidClaw, an OpenClaw-based agent framework that made it to market before the reveal of Microsoft's latest autonomous offering category, Autopilot, and the first of its agents, called Scout.
 
Steve explains how he has made sense of some of the big choices today in the enterprise IT space like pre-built services from hyperscalers, the rise of AI agents, different user interface options, and a variety of billing models. He also explains how his team made some of their decisions, like the use of OpenClaw as an agent harness that each organization can host with full control. 

We also discuss how Steve sees AI costs shifting, some of the qualities of effective agents, and the importance of natural language-driven interfaces.

Show notes:

• 6:45 - How are customers should be calibrating their AI priorities vs what many are doing so far
• 9:50 - Copilot Studio and Power Automate co-existing
• 4:30 - Boring successes
• 24:00 - How costs are shaking out for clients
• 30:15 - How partner billing will change with AI
• 34:00 - Are we moving away from user-based license model, and what does that mean for partners