Qualtrics' president of product has a vision for agentic AI in the workplace: 'We're going to operate in a multiagent world'
Courtesy of Qualtrics
Qualtrics, which collects data on consumers, employees, and brands, is leaning into agentic AI.
Its product president said the tech helps companies act on feedback faster and make better decisions.
This article is part of "CXO AI Playbook" — straight talk from business leaders on how they're testing and using AI.
Brad Anderson, the president of product, user experience, and engineering at Qualtrics, an $11 billion company that helps businesses collect and analyze data, believes organizations are at a turning point in how they apply AI.
"AI is no longer just in the back office," he told Business Insider. "It's front and center in every customer and employee conversation, and it's being brought to organizations in ways they can tangibly see and benefit from."
At the heart of this shift is agentic AI, he said. While generative artificial intelligence helps companies interpret data to better understand customer behaviors and trends, agentic AI goes a step further by "unlocking action at scale," Anderson said. This allows businesses to respond to those insights quickly and effectively.
Last year, for example, Qualtrics, which made its name in customer surveys, introduced conversational feedback, using AI to analyze responses and generate real-time follow-up questions. Today, the company works with over 20,000 customers across industries — including tech, retail, and airlines — and is using agentic AI to help them turn feedback into actionable insights and respond more effectively.
Some organizations are leading the way, while others are more cautious. "Some are carefully evaluating how it benefits their customers and employees," Anderson said, "while others see it as transformative not just for their business but for the world — and they're eager to get after it."
BI spoke with Anderson about how companies could use agentic AI.
The following has been edited for clarity and length.
You say that agentic AI drives "action at scale." Can you give an example?
Imagine an airline passenger's flight is canceled and they're unsure about the refund process. When they respond to a survey, they might say, "I searched online but still don't know if I'll get my money back or just a credit."
With agentic AI, we personalize responses in the airline's tone and act based on the customer and their situation. Instead of a generic reply, the system confirms refund eligibility, gives a timeline, and tailors responses based on loyalty status and lifetime value. A highly profitable, loyal customer gets a different experience than someone who booked through a discount site. This turns a routine survey into a real-time service, resolving issues instantly.
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