Boston, at the crossroads of ideas.
Morning light shines through the large windows of the convention center where Inbound 2024 takes place. In a quiet space, far from the bustle of the thousands of participants, Dharmesh Shah waits discreetly, almost apologetically. Dressed simply in an Agent AI t-shirt, his shy smile contrasts with his lively and focused gaze. Everything about his attitude exudes humility, but also a palpable intensity, that of a man who has so much to say about the future of technology.
“What I like about Inbound is this collective energy,” he begins, a hand on his chin. “You see curious people, ready to learn, but also to share. Every year I am amazed by the scale of this event. When we started, there were 300 of us in a room at the Marriott hotel. Today, more than 12,000 people. It’s incredible. »
But if Dharmesh Shah impresses with his career — co-founder of HubSpot with Brian Halligan, investor in more than 100 startups, author and pioneer of modern business culture — it’s his love of coding and obsession with efficiency that captivate. This year, its message is clear: the future of business depends on AI agents.
AI agents: the new frontier.
For Dharmesh Shah, artificial intelligence is not just a technological fad. It’s a revolution. And at the heart of this revolution are AI agents, tools he describes as “digital teammates”.
“Imagine a colleague who never sleeps, never gets tired and is incredibly talented in a specific area,” he explains, a mischievous smile on his lips. “That’s what an AI agent is. Not a robot that replaces humans, but a partner that complements them. »
He enthusiastically details the potential of these tools, drawing on concrete examples. “Take a simple but time-consuming task, like writing a blog post from a conference. Today you need to watch the video, extract the quotes, write and edit. An AI agent can do all of this with just a few clicks. It extracts the transcription, identifies relevant quotes and proposes a finalized text. It’s a revolution in terms of time and energy. »
But Dharmesh doesn’t stop there. For him, AI agents are only at the beginning of their evolution. “Today, they carry out specific tasks. Tomorrow, they will achieve complex objectives: planning an event, managing a complete marketing campaign or even anticipating needs before they are expressed. »
An AI to simplify, not to complicate.
Dharmesh’s eyes light up when he talks about his personal project, Agent.ai, a platform designed to democratize access to AI agents. “My goal is simple: to reduce friction in our professional lives. Every minute saved on a repetitive task is another minute for creativity and innovation. »
He shares an anecdote about an agent he developed for his wife, who works in the nonprofit sector. “She wanted to share clips from YouTube videos without having to edit them herself. I created an agent that automatically extracts clips according to the time ranges it indicates. Now she can focus on her work instead of wasting hours on complicated software. »
This approach, both practical and humanistic, sums up Dharmesh’s philosophy: AI should be a tool to amplify human impact, not to replace it. “The idea is not to automate everything. It’s about making complex processes accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical level. »
Business reimagined: beyond traditional limits.
The potential of AI agents far exceeds current applications, according to Dharmesh. He cites the example of startups like Perplexity.ai, in which he has invested. “Perplexity completely rethinks the way we search for information. Instead of navigating through dozens of results on Google, you get a clear answer straight away, with reliable sources. It’s a radical change. » For him, this type of innovation is crucial in a world where the pace of technology exceeds our ability to adapt. “We need to reinvent existing behaviors. It’s not just a matter of doing better, but of thinking differently. »
The art of coding: a passion never denied.
As the interview progresses, one thing becomes clear: coding is not just a skill for Dharmesh Shah. It’s a passion, almost a vocation. “Coding is like writing a symphony. Each line is a note that contributes to an elegant and functional solution. »
But his love for coding goes beyond the act of programming. He sees it as a form of leadership, a way to set an example. “We rarely ask a musician to stop playing to conduct an orchestra. So why should a developer stop coding and focus solely on management? »
This philosophy shines through in his daily work. Despite being the head of one of the most influential tech companies that modeled and popularized Inbound Marketing, Dharmesh continues to code. “For me, success is being able to do what you love while creating value for others. Programming allows me to solve real-world problems and share these solutions with the world. »
The future of AI agents: a human revolution.
When asked what excites him most about the evolution of artificial intelligence, Dharmesh Shah discusses a bold idea: “We need to think of AI as ‘alien’ intelligence, not just an imitation of human intelligence. This difference is essential, because it allows problems to be approached in a completely new way. » He imagines a future where AI will solve problems that humanity has never been able to solve alone: energy crises, genetic diseases, the complexity of climate change. “With models like GPT-4.1, capable of thinking in stages, we are entering a new era. Problems deemed insoluble for decades could find solutions in a few years. »
A builder of communities and connections.
Beyond his role as a technology leader, Dharmesh Shah is also a community builder. He founded the blog OnStartups, which today has more than 700,000 subscribers, and remains a fervent defender of collaborative networks. “Inefficient markets inhibit innovation. Networks make it possible to connect talents and needs. This is how human progress advances. »
This philosophy also guides its approach to investing as a business angel in more than 100 projects. Rather than maximizing his financial returns, he prefers to support projects that resonate with his values. “Investing is a way of living vicariously the adventure of entrepreneurs. I love seeing them succeed. »
AI, a profoundly human project.
As the interview draws to a close, Dharmesh Shah concludes with a wise reflection: “What motivates me is the idea that we can create tools that amplify the best in us . Artificial intelligence, if used well, is not a threat, but an opportunity to build a better future. »
