9 sales tasks that agents are taking over in 2026, and 4 that humans have kept
kAmpCE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 :D >2<:?8 H2G6D 24C@DD 2 H:56 G2C:6EJ @7 :?5FDEC:6D] ~?6 2C62 H96C6 >2?J 6>A=@J66D 766= E92E 5:DCFAE:@? >@DE <66?=J :D D2=6D] %96 =2E6DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D2=6D7@C46]4@>^?6HD^DE@C:6D^DE2E6\@7\D2=6D\C6A@CE\2??@F?46>6?E\a_ae^Qm$E2E6 @7 $2=6D #6A@CEk^2m 7C@> $2=6D7@C46 AFED ?F>36CD E@ E96 766=:?8]k^Am
kAm~?46 px 286?ED 2C6 7F==J C@==65 @FE[ D6==6CD 2C6 6IA64E:?8 2 bcT 4FE :? AC@DA64E C6D62C49 E:>6 2?5 2 beT 4FE :? 6>2:= 5C27E:?8 E:>6] %9:D 42? D2G6 D2=6D C6AD 4@F?E=6DD E65:@FD 9@FCD] (96C6 2FE@>2E:@? :D D6E E@ @44FC :D 24EF2==J E96 >@C6 :?E6C6DE:?8 A2CE @7 E9:D 52E2]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A@==@]:@QmpA@==@k^2m 5F8 566A :?E@ E9:D C6A@CE[ :? 4@?;F?4E:@? H:E9 52E2 7C@> s:8:E2= r@>>6C46 be_ 2?5 !6CA=6I:EJ[ E@ @FE=:?6 ?:?6 <6J 2C62D H96C6 px H:== 92G6 E96 8C62E6DE :>A24E[ 2=@?8 H:E9 2 4@FA=6 @7 2C62D E92E H:== DE:== ?665 9F>2? 92?5D]k^Am
k9bm(92E px :D E2<:?8 @G6Ck^9bm
kAm%96C6 2C6 ?:?6 >2:? D2=6D 2C62D H96C6 px :D D6E E@ 92G6 E96 =2C86DE 67764E] r@:?4:56?E2==J[ E96J 2C6 2=D@ ?:?6 @7 E96 62D:6DE 2C62D H96C6 E2D<D 42? 36 5:C64E=J D9:7E65 E@ 286?ED H:E9@FE 9F>2? :?E6CG6?E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 px E@@=D FD65 E@52J 2C6 E96 D2>6 @?6D E92E H:== =:<6=J 36 252AE65 :? E96 4@>:?8 J62CD E@ @AE:>:K6 52:=J E2D<D[ >62?:?8 =:>:E65 :?G6DE>6?E :? ?6H E649?@=@8J H:== 36 C6BF:C65ik^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] p44@F?E C6D62C49k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmp44@F?E C6D62C49 :D E96 7:CDE 2C62 D6E E@ 36 2FE@>2E65 3J px] p =@E >@C6 C6AD 2C6 ;FDE 2D<:?8 r92Ev!%[ r=2F56[ !6CA=6I:EJ[ 2?5 @E96C >@56=D 7@C :?7@C>2E:@? @? AC@DA64ED 5:C64E=J] qJ =6G6C28:?8 E96:C 52E2 2?5 E96? 4@>3:?:?8 :E H:E9 |r! 4@??64E@CD :? AC@5F4ED =:<6 $2=6D7@C46 @C wF3$A@E[ E96J 42? AF== =:G6 52E2 DEC2:89E :?E@ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ E@@] $6==6CD DFCG6J65 :? E96 $2=6D7@C46 C6A@CE 8@ 2D 72C 2D E@ 6DE:>2E6 E92E E9:D H:== 4FE AC@DA64E C6D62C49 E:>6 3J bcT @?46 286?ED 2C6 7F==J :? A=246]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] {:DE 3F:=5:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%@ 3F:=5 2? @FEC6249 E2C86E =:DE :? E96 A2DE[ 2 C6A EC25:E:@?2==J 925 E@ ;F>A 36EH66? 2 ?F>36C @7 5:776C6?E E@@=D] }@H[ E96J 42? ;FDE @FE=:?6 H92E 2? :562= 4FDE@>6C AC@7:=6 =@@<D =:<6 E@ 2 =2C86 =2?8F286 >@56= 2?5 E2<6 2 =@@< 2E E96 @FEAFE] %9:D 42? 36 E2<6? 7FCE96C 3J 4@??64E:?8 E96 px E@ 2 52E2 D@FC46 E@ 86E C2?<65 =:DED[ E@@]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] u:CDE\E@F49 5C27E:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmt>2:= 5C27E:?8 :D E96 32?6 @7 >2?J C6ADV 6I:DE6?46] {F4<:=J[ :E’D 2=D@ @?6 @7 E96 2C62D px 42? 96=A] #6AD 42? FD6 {{|D E@ 92?5=6 4@=5 6>2:= 4C62E:@? 2?5 6G6? AF== 244@F?E D:8?2=D =:G6 7C@> 2? |r! 367@C6 6G6? HC:E:?8] %9:D EC6?5 :D AC@;64E65 E@ 36 2 beT E:>6\D2G6C 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 $2=6D7@C46 C6A@CE[ 2D H6==]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mc] r#| =@88:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmpD< 2 C6A H92E E96:C 72G@C:E6 A2CE @7 E96 52J :D 2?5 J@F’5 36 92C5\AC6DD65 E@ 7:?5 2?J E92E D2J =@88:?8 :?E6C24E:@?D :? E96:C 4FDE@>6C C6=2E:@?D9:A >2?286>6?E DJDE6>] xE’D 24EF2==J 2 4@>>@? 72:=FC6 A@:?E :? E@52J’D H@C<7=@HD] px 286?ED 2?5 |r!\4@??64E65 2DD:DE2?ED E92E HC:E6 324< E@ $2=6D7@C46 2?5 wF3$A@E 2C6 2FE@>2E:42==J 82:?:?8 EC24E:@? 2D 2 C6DF=E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8md] $4965F=:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmx7 E96C6’D @?6 E9:?8 px 286?ED 92G6 2=C625J AC@G65 256AE 2E[ :E’D 92?5=:?8 >66E:?8 D4965F=:?8 2?5 42=6?52C 4@@C5:?2E:@?] %9:D :D 2?@E96C E65:@FD E:>6 DF4< 7@C D2=6D C6AD H9@ 4@F=5 36 7@4FD65 @? >@C6 :>A@CE2?E E2D<D] &D:?8 px 2=D@ >62?D @C82?:K2E:@?D 42? D2G6 >@?6J 7C@> ?@E ?665:?8 E@ 9:C6 2? 25>:?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8me] %C2?D4C:AE:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmwF>2? >6>@CJ :D 7:?:E6 2?5 C6>6>36C:?8 6G6CJ 56E2:= @7 2 42== :D ;FDE :>A@DD:3=6] wF>2?D 42? 2=D@ @?=J HC:E6 D@ 72DE] px EC2?D4C:AE:@? D6CG:46D[ @? E96 @E96C 92?5[ 2C6 :>AC@G:?8 3J E96 52J] }@E6E2<6C 2AAD 2?5 u:C67=:6D\DEJ=6 E@@=D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 2D r=2F56 2?5 r92Ev!% 4@??64E@CD[ H9:49 42? 2FE@>2E:42==J 6IEC24E 564:D:@?D[ 24E:@? :E6>D[ 2?5 ?6IE DE6AD 7C@> AC@DA64E @C 4=:6?E 42==D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mf] $:8?2= >@?:E@C:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmu=28865 3J v2CE?6C 2E :ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]82CE?6C]4@>^6?^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ae\_d\a_\82CE?6C\DFCG6J\7:?5D\D2=6D\@C82?:K2E:@?D\E92E\AC@G:56\2:\6?23=65\?6IE\36DE\24E:@?D\2C6\EH@\A@:?E\D:I\E:>6D\>@C6\=:<6=J\E@\249:6G6\4@>>6C4:2=\8C@HE9nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Qmr$~ 2?5 $2=6D {6256C r@?76C6?46k^2m[ >@?:E@C:?8 3FJ:?8 D:8?2=D[ DF49 2D 7F?5:?8 C@F?5D[ ;@3 492?86D[ 2?5 :?E6?E 52E2[ :D 2?@E96C 2C62 A@:D65 E@ 36 2 E:>6\D2G6C H:E9 px]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mg] u@==@H\FA E:>:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmpx 286?ED 42? ?@H 7=28 2?5 E:>6 7@==@H\FAD 32D65 @? AC6\D6E 6?8286>6?E D:8?2=D 2?5 C6A=J =:<6=:9@@5] %9:D C65F46D >F49 @7 E96 >2?F2= EC24<:?8 E92E FD65 E@ 62E FA C6A E:>6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mh] !:A6=:?6 9J8:6?6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmu:?2==J[ <66A:?8 @AA@CEF?:EJ C64@C5D[ DE286D[ 2?5 7@C642DED FA E@ 52E6 :D D9:7E:?8 E@ 2FE@>2E65 286?ED 2?5 |r! HC:E6\324<D] (92E H2D 7@C>6C=J 2? 6?5\@7\H66< >2?F2= 4=62?FA E2D< 42? ?@H 36 2FE@>2E65 3J px]k^Am
k9bm(92E :D D6E E@ DE2J 9F>2?k^9bm
kAmpD H:E9 2?J E649?@=@8J[ ?@E 6G6CJE9:?8 H:== 36 C6G@=FE:@?:K65] %96C6 H:== 2=H2JD 36 2 9F>2? E@F49[ 2?5 D@>6 E2D<D H:== =:<6=J C6>2:? C6A\@H?65 3642FD6 E96J 2C6 5:C64E=J E:65 E@ ECFDE[ BF@E2 A6C7@C>2?46[ 2?5 562= @FE4@>6Dik^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] {:G6 ?68@E:2E:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm!6@A=6 DE:== =:<6 E@ 492E H:E9 C62= A6@A=6[ 2?5 C62=\E:>6 562= ?68@E:2E:@? :D AC65:4E65 E@ DE2J 9F>2?] %96 v2CE?6C DFCG6J 7@F?5 E92E 3FJ6CD 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ D2J 2 9F>2? C6A 96=A65 E96> 25G2?46 E@ E96 ?6IE DE6A[ >256 E96> 766= 4@?7:56?E[ 2?5 F?56CDE@@5 E96:C ?665D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] |F=E:\E9C62565 C6=2E:@?D9:A H@C<k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmqF:=5:?8 2?5 >2:?E2:?:?8 C6=2E:@?D9:AD 24C@DD >F=E:A=6 DE2<69@=56CD :? 2 3FJ:?8 8C@FA H:== 2=D@ 36 2 9F>2? E2D<] v2CE?6C 7@F?5 3FJ:?8 8C@FAD H:E9 =@H 5JD7F?4E:@?[ >2:?=J 3F:=E E9C@F89 DFDE2:?65 C6A 6?8286>6?E[ H6C6 `b E:>6D >@C6 =:<6=J E@ C6A@CE 9:89\BF2=:EJ 562=D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] #625:?8 2 C@@>k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmx?E6CAC6E:?8 F?DA@<6? 3FJ6C :?E6?E :D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]82CE?6C]4@>^6?^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ac\_h\`e\82CE?6C\D2=6D\DFCG6J\C6G62=D\D6==6CD\H9@\A2CE?6C\H:E9\2:\C6\E9C66\A@:?E\D6G6?\E:>6D\>@C6\=:<6=J\E@\>66E\BF@E2Qm6IA=:4:E=J ?2>65 3J v2CE?6Ck^2m 2D 2 E@A D6==6C D<:== E:65 E@ BF@E2 2EE2:?>6?E] %9:D :D 5:DE:?4E 7C@> px\A2CE?6CD9:A D<:==D 2?5 :D 2 9F>2?\@?=J 42A23:=:EJ]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mc] s64:5:?8 H9:49 562=D 56D6CG6 9F>2? E:>6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmz?@H:?8 H96? 2?5 H96C6 E@ DA6?5 9F>2? E:>6 D9@F=5 2=H2JD DE2J H:E9 C6AD 2?5 >2?286CD] %96 E:>6 D2G65 7C@> :?E68C2E:?8 px :?E@ 2 C6A’D 52J\E@\52J D9@F=5 36 C62==@42E65 E@ E96D6 DA64:7:4 9F>2?\@?=J E2D<D E@ 6?DFC6 >2I:>F> AC@5F4E:G:EJ]k^Am
k9bm%96 7FEFC6 @7 px :? D2=6Dk^9bm
kAmpx :D 96C6 E@ DE2J 2?5 E96C6’D ?@ 492?8:?8 E92E[ 3FE :E 5@6D?’E >62? E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 2 C6A’D ;@3 H:== D9C:?<] #2E96C E92? DA6?5:?8 E:>6 @? 3FDJH@C< =:<6 C6D62C49:?8 AC@DA64ED[ 5C27E:?8 6>2:=D[ @C =@88:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ px H:== 7C66 FA 2 C6A’D E:>6 E@ H@C< @? E96 >@C6 :>A@CE2?E D:56 @7 D2=6Di 3F:=5:?8 C6=2E:@?D9:AD] x?E68C2E:?8 px E@ 2FE@>2E6 EC25:E:@?2= E2D<D H:== 2==@H 7@C E:>6 E@ 7@4FD @? H@C< E92E C6BF:C6D 9F>2? 2EE6?E:@?[ DF49 2D ?68@E:2E:?8 562=D 2?5 >2?28:?8 DE2<69@=56CD]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A@==@]:@^>282K:?6^h\D2=6D\E2D<D\2:\286?ED\?@H\92?5=6\2?5\c\9F>2?D\DE:==\@H?Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A@==@]:@^Qmk6>mpA@==@k^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.