AI Agent & Copilot Podcast: Allowing AI Agents to Negotiate on Behalf of Humans
In this episode of the AI Agent & Copilot Podcast, Shawn Dorward explains how AI agents can handle complex tasks like vendor negotiations, contract terms, and pricing models, freeing humans to focus on strategy.
This episode is sponsored by the AI Agent & Copilot Summit NA, taking place March 17-19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
Key Takeaways
- Agents becoming assistants: AI agents are evolving from mere automation tools into intelligent systems that can handle complex tasks, make decisions based on organizational context, and execute workflows with minimal prompting. Shawn describes how they can act like virtual assistants that negotiate and perform work on your behalf, ensuring governance and validation along the way.
- 3 steps to executing: Microsoft is moving toward a future where AI agents fully execute tasks, replacing traditional systems like ERPs with conversational interfaces. This vision relies on three key innovations, notes Shawn: orchestration of multiple agents, MCP for real system and data access, and cross-system action-taking, enabling agents to act across emails, ERPs, and contracts as true teammates.
- Use case: Shawn shares a use case. AI agents can automate vendor negotiations by detecting issues like price variances or late deliveries, validating contract terms, and drafting communications with supporting evidence. This reduces manual effort and enables agents to handle follow-ups, though it raises concerns about accuracy and the human element in negotiations.
- Human influence: Further, AI agents can eliminate repetitive tasks like vendor follow-ups and reminders, saving time and improving consistency, but governance is essential. Humans must set limits and approve actions. The benefits include faster execution, reduced workload, and resilience to delays or emotional friction in communication.
- AI Agent & Copilot Summit NA 2026: To learn about these concepts further and hear new use cases, Shawn encourages listeners to attend the AI Agent and Copilot Summit, taking place March 17-19, 2025, in San Diego, CA. The event will offer deep-dive sessions and master classes on leveraging AI agents to save time and boost business efficiency.
- Looking ahead: Over the next 12–18 months, ERPs are expected to evolve into orchestration platforms where Copilot makes decisions, MCP provides context, and agents execute tasks, transforming ERPs from software into virtual team members.
Stream the audio version of this episode here:
