For decades, digital products have assumed a single user: the human. Interfaces, dashboards, and services were built for people consuming and acting on information. That assumption is now being tested. A second user has emerged - AI agents - systems that consume, interpret, and act on data autonomously.

Agents are not sidekicks. They are active consumers of information. They parse data, make calls, and trigger actions at scale. For companies producing knowledge, content, or services, this means every product now has two audiences: the human and the agent.

Recognising both humans and agents as co-equal users is now central to product design and strategy.

Why Agents Matter

• Speed and scale: Agents process volumes no human can. They demand structured, machine-readable formats.
• Market shift: Enterprises are embedding AI directly into workflows, bypassing tools that do not serve agents.
• Risk of irrelevance: If your product cannot be consumed by agents, it risks being ignored or replaced.

The Twin User Philosophy

Humans need context, interpretation, and actionable insight. Agents need structured data, APIs, schemas, embeddings, and provenance metadata. Neglecting either limits reach and impact.

Designing for Both

Dual surfaces are essential: interactive tools for humans, programmatic endpoints for agents. Reliability, licensing, and governance must account for the distinct needs of each user type.

The opportunity

Serving both users expands market reach and creates defensibility. Data, products, and services that are agent-ready earn new revenue streams while retaining human trust. The future will not be built for humans alone, nor for agents alone — it will be built for both.

The companies that thrive will design for the twin users of tomorrow: Human and Agent.