The agents of artificial intelligence could give rise to the first solo unicorn, but at what cost to society?
It is likely that artificial intelligence will lead to the first solo-owned business valued at one billion dollars. However, its implications for society cannot be overlooked.
With the advent of cloud computing and distributed digital infrastructure, the concept of a sole proprietorship is no longer surprising. Access to on-demand computing, remote collaboration, payment processing APIs, social media, and e-commerce marketplaces has made it easier for more people to venture into independent entrepreneurship. However, the question arises: how can this type of business scale to become a truly valuable company, akin to a unicorn? Throughout history, this has been extremely complicated due to the skills and resources needed, not only to scale a product but also to build and maintain a large customer base. However, AI agents could liberate solo entrepreneurs.
AI agents focus on integrating human workflows into software, allowing individuals to accomplish more in less time. These agents can be assigned to various tasks and can make decisions with different levels of autonomy. Moreover, multiple AI agents can collaborate on complementary tasks, potentially enabling completely autonomous work. Sam Altman of OpenAI predicted this possibility in a conversation last year, mentioning that, among a group of friends, many bet on which would be the first billion-dollar company created by a single person, a fact that would have been unthinkable without the help of AI.
The discussion about the billion-dollar sole proprietorship continued at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, where a panel of entrepreneurs and investors reflected on the implications for the future of employment. Currently, there are examples of multimillion-dollar companies that have been founded with very small teams, such as Microsoft acquiring Mojang for $2.5 billion when it had 40 employees or Facebook buying Instagram for $1 billion with only 13 employees on its payroll. However, creating a sole unicorn would be a different achievement.
Kanjun Qiu, CEO of the AI research lab Imbue, pointed out that sole proprietorships where AI is likely to be most successful are those with self-guided products that do not require large sales teams. While automation can help, building trust with customers is still essential. Human interaction, according to Qiu, remains vital in establishing business relationships.
Benjamine Liu, CEO of Formation Bio, an AI-based drug development company, also highlighted the opportunities that AI technologies are creating in the business world. Despite his optimism, he warned that the experience of being an entrepreneur can be lonely and that having co-founders remains essential. Therefore, it is likely that new companies founded by a single entrepreneur will be managed with a small but effective combination of human skills and AI agents.
As AI continues to integrate into the workplace, we are already seeing it in action in areas such as law and software engineering. Companies like Lattice are innovating by assigning work records to these digital agents, reflecting a new era in which humans and AI agents collaborate together. Sarah Franklin, CEO of Lattice, mentioned that this means managing AI agents similarly to human employees, promoting transparency and accountability.
As companies can operate with fewer human staff, concerns about the future of work and the need to generate income and purpose in society arise. Just as in previous industrial revolutions, new jobs are expected to emerge, although it is still unclear what they will be. In a panel in Davos, it was noted that the speed at which AI is advancing could complicate the adaptation and training of the existing workforce.
Finally, the consensus among experts is that, regardless of how quickly things change, everyone will have to learn to coexist and thrive alongside AI in the workplace. With current tools, the possibility of individuals taking management roles over AI agents is on the horizon, transforming the nature of work and business creation. The question remains open as to whether we will ever see a unicorn company created by a single person, but it is already clear that the business landscape is changing rapidly thanks to artificial intelligence.
