# The Agent Migration Playbook

> Onboarding the digital employee. Treat agents like new hires, not features.

*P06 · Module M2 — First Functions · The CEO AI Playbook by Stephen Forte*

Canonical: https://academy.buildclub.com/m2/p06-agent-migration

## Thesis

An agent is a new hire, not a feature.

## Key Takeaways

- An agent is a new hire, not a feature.
- 95% — of enterprise AI agent pilots stall before reaching production.
- 4 — phases of structured onboarding — map, spec, shadow, bound — before autonomy.
- 90 d — from kickoff to a production-grade agent on a workflow that already works.
- Name one workflow that already works end-to-end with humans — write it down.

## The Playbook

1. **Map the workflow** — Find one that already works end-to-end with humans. Document every handoff.
2. **Spec the JTBD** — Write the job description before you write the prompt. Title, inputs, outputs, KPIs.
3. **Shadow (weeks 1–4)** — Agent watches and proposes. Humans still act. Measure proposal quality.
4. **Approve with confirmation** — Agent acts but human approves every consequential output.
5. **Bound autonomy** — Remove approval gates only after 30 consecutive clean outputs. Set blast radius limit.
1. **Title** — What the agent is called.
2. **Reports to** — Human owner.
3. **Inputs** — Exact data sources, format, freshness SLA.
4. **Outputs** — Exact deliverables, format, acceptance criteria.
5. **KPIs** — How you know it is working.
6. **Blast radius limit** — What it cannot touch without human approval.

## Key Numbers

- **95%** — of enterprise AI agent pilots stall before reaching production. (MIT NANDA 2026)
- **4** — phases of structured onboarding — map, spec, shadow, bound — before autonomy.
- **90 d** — from kickoff to a production-grade agent on a workflow that already works.

## What to Do Monday

- Name one workflow that already works end-to-end with humans — write it down.
- Identify the human who is the middleware between two systems — that is your first spec.
- Write the six-field job spec before any prompt or vendor conversation.
- Name the 90-day owner — one person, weekly check-in, outcome metric defined.
- Set the blast radius limit on day one — what the agent cannot touch without approval.

## FAQ

**What is the core idea of The Agent Migration Playbook?**

An agent is a new hire, not a feature.

**What does the data say a CEO should pay attention to?**

95% of enterprise AI agent pilots stall before reaching production. 4 phases of structured onboarding — map, spec, shadow, bound — before autonomy.

**What should a CEO do Monday morning after reading The Agent Migration Playbook?**

Start here: Name one workflow that already works end-to-end with humans — write it down; Identify the human who is the middleware between two systems — that is your first spec; Write the six-field job spec before any prompt or vendor conversation.

**What are the steps in The Agent Migration Playbook?**

1) Map the workflow; 2) Spec the JTBD; 3) Shadow (weeks 1–4); 4) Approve with confirmation; 5) Bound autonomy.

**Where do the claims in The Agent Migration Playbook come from?**

The playbook cites MIT NANDA; McKinsey AI deployment research (2025–2026); OWASP Agentic Security Initiative.

## Sources

- [MIT NANDA](https://nanda.media.mit.edu/)
- McKinsey AI deployment research (2025–2026)
- [OWASP Agentic Security Initiative](https://genai.owasp.org/initiatives/#agenticinitiative)

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