Guide
What should my AI agent do first? 10 starter jobs
Most people set up an AI agent, ask it a few questions, and then don't know what to do with it. The fix is to give it a job, not a chat: something that repeats, follows a pattern, and is cheap to get wrong. Good first jobs: a morning brief, inbox triage, lead follow-up drafts, invoice reminders, review requests, meeting prep, a weekly review, content repurposing, watching for buyers on X, and a missed-call text-back. Pick one, run it on a schedule in draft mode for a week, then add the next.
What to hand to an agent first
1. Morning brief
Today's calendar, urgent emails and anything overdue in one message before you start work. Read-only, so it's the safest first job.
2. Inbox triage
Sort new email into reply now, later, and ignore, and draft replies for you to edit and send.
3. Lead follow-up drafts
List leads and quotes that have gone quiet and draft a short check-in for each.
4. Invoice reminders
Polite reminders before and after due dates, using your accounting tool as the source of truth.
5. Review requests
After a finished job or order, draft a thank-you with your review link.
6. Meeting prep
Before each call, a short note on who you're meeting, past emails and what they want.
7. Weekly review
Every Friday: what got done, what slipped, and what to focus on next week.
8. Content repurposing
Turn one post, video or podcast into drafts for each platform you use.
9. Find buyers on X
Watch for people asking for what you sell and list them for you to reply to yourself.
10. Missed-call text-back
If you run a local business, text every missed caller back fast and ask what they need.
Ready-made use cases
- 01CEO morning brief in 5 minutes
One message each morning: calendar, urgent emails, money in/out, and the 3 things that move the business today.
~3h/week · estimate - 02Inbox triage with drafted replies
The agent sorts your inbox into reply / FYI / ignore and drafts replies in your voice for you to approve.
~5h/week · estimate - 03Never miss a lead follow-up
The agent checks your CRM or inbox for leads that went quiet and drafts the next follow-up.
~4h/week · estimate - 04Invoice chaser that gets you paid
The agent tracks unpaid invoices and sends polite, escalating reminders.
~2h/week · estimate - 05Get more 5-star reviews automatically
After each completed job the agent sends a friendly review request and flags unhappy customers to you first.
~2h/week · estimate
Example: Grok Bot setup
Grok Bot routine: CEO morning brief in 5 minutes Schedule: Daily 7:30 Every morning, read my calendar for today, my unread emails from the last 24h and yesterday's revenue. Send me a brief: (1) meetings with one prep note each, (2) emails that need my reply with a suggested one-line answer, (3) money in/out, (4) the 3 highest-leverage tasks for today. Keep it under 200 words. Rules: draft first, never send or post anything external without my approval. Keep summaries short.
Grok Bot, ChatGPT, Claude and n8n versions: all templates
Keep these human
- Pick the job that annoys you most and repeats most often; don't start with something you've never done by hand.
- Start read-only, then drafts, then sending. Anything public, financial or legal stays with you.
- Keep passwords and card numbers out of instructions.
- Start in draft mode: the agent prepares, you approve, then you loosen the leash routine by routine.
FAQ
What should an AI agent do first for What should my AI agent do first? 10 starter jobs?
1. Morning brief: Today's calendar, urgent emails and anything overdue in one message before you start work. Read-only, so it's the safest first job. 2. Inbox triage: Sort new email into reply now, later, and ignore, and draft replies for you to edit and send. 3. Lead follow-up drafts: List leads and quotes that have gone quiet and draft a short check-in for each.
What should stay human?
Pick the job that annoys you most and repeats most often; don't start with something you've never done by hand. Start read-only, then drafts, then sending. Anything public, financial or legal stays with you. Keep passwords and card numbers out of instructions. Start in draft mode: the agent prepares, you approve, then you loosen the leash routine by routine.
Is there a ready-made template?
Yes. Start with "CEO morning brief in 5 minutes": copy-ready Grok Bot, ChatGPT, Claude and n8n templates are at https://whatshouldmybotdo.com/use-cases/ceo-morning-brief#templates.