A ‘digital hire’ won’t replace a skilled employee, but it can help automate many of the time-consuming tasks that eat up their day.
Until recently, AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini answered questions, did research, and made suggestions – offering advice, but not actually taking action. Now, thanks to AI agents like OpenClaw and Hermes, AI can interact with other platforms, allowing it to take action like writing and sending emails, updating your schedule, or scheduling social media posts.
In this guide, we explore everything you need to get started with a 'digital employee'.
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I've launched 4 successful businesses in the last 10 years, all whilst working a full-time job. During this time, I have always been looking for smart ways to save time and money whilst getting more done. AI has totally changed how I run my current side hustles.
Getting started
You’ll need a few things before you can get going with your new ‘digital employee’.
First, you’ll need to pick an AI assistant. There are a few available; OpenClaw is the most popular, closely followed by Hermes. To run your AI agents safely, you’ll likely want to host them on a Virtual Private Server (VPS). Once this is set up, you can then communicate with it via a platform of your choice, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Slack.
The VPS is the ‘computer’ doing the heavy lifting, and you can communicate with your AI agent via an app on your phone. So, you don’t really need a powerful computer to run your agents. However, investing in a decent laptop will make it easier to manage workflows, along with the rest of your business, whilst on the go.
Getting AI working for you
Exactly what you have your agent do for you will depend on the nature of your business and your own unique set of skills. Here are a few platforms you may want to explore pairing your agent with, depending on what you want to achieve:
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AI agent role | Platform |
|---|---|
Seamlessly manage tour schedule on your behalf | |
Deal with invoices and bookkeeping | |
Manage customer relationships and organize leads | |
Support your marketing efforts | |
Organizing contracts and signatures |
A note on security
Giving AI agents access to sensitive business information, such as financial data, customer data, and emails, carries risks. Using a dedicated VPS goes some way to protecting you.
However, it is important that you take the time to fully understand the risks associated with using AI agents and the steps you can take to mitigate them.